JEDDAH (MNN); Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia on Friday as part of a Gulf tour aimed at strengthening national energy security amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Meloni arrived in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, becoming the first leader from a European Union or NATO country to visit the region since the war began on February 28. During her trip, she is expected to hold meetings with officials from Saudi Arabia, and potentially with representatives from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The visit comes as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE have faced Iranian drone and missile strikes in response to US-Israeli attacks on Iran, escalating regional tensions.
Italy, which relies heavily on energy imports, has been increasingly concerned about rising global fuel prices. In response, the government has reduced fuel excise taxes until May 1 to ease the burden on consumers.
Earlier, on March 25, Meloni visited Algeria—Italy’s key gas supplier providing around 30 percent of its natural gas—with the aim of boosting imports further.
Meloni, considered one of the European leaders closest to US President Donald Trump, has also been aligned with calls for countries impacted by Iran’s selective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to take action.
The strategic waterway previously accounted for nearly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and about 20 percent of liquefied natural gas supplies, making it critical to global energy security.
