Italian PM condemns violation of ceasefire, urges reducing dependence on Washington

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday condemned any violation of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and denied being "subservient" to U.S. President Donald Trump.

In an address to parliament, Meloni praised Pakistan's efforts in supporting the difficult negotiations between the two sides and expressed the hope that peace talks would begin soon. She emphasized that Italy condemns any breach of the ceasefire.

Meloni rejected the claims of being "subservience" to Trump, clarifying that Rome does not fully endorse Washington's actions. She has previously criticized U.S.-led strikes on Iran as part of a "dangerous" pattern of interventions outside international law, and opposed U.S. use of its military base in Sicily for operations targeting Iran.

"It is undeniable that we are experiencing a particularly difficult moment in the relations between Europe and the United States," she said, adding that Italy, together with the European Union, is committed to building a defense capability that does not depend on the United States.

She called for strengthening NATO in a way that allows Europe to "courageously build the European pillar of the alliance, first and foremost to guarantee its own security."

Addressing lawmakers, she also reiterated her condemnation of the Israeli warning shots fired at Italian UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicles on Wednesday, urging Israel to halt its military escalation in Lebanese territory, which has caused increasing casualties and displacement.