US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will soon visit Italy and the Vatican after US President Donald Trump publicly criticized the Holy See and the Italian government.
Points of attention
- Rubio's visit comes at a crucial time as relations between Washington and Rome have significantly deteriorated due to recent disagreements.
- The outcome of Rubio's diplomatic efforts could play a key role in diffusing the escalating tensions between the US and Italy.
Rubio wants to reconcile the US and Italy
As journalists learned, the head of the US State Department will visit Italy on May 7 and 8.
Insiders claim that Rubio will first visit the Vatican, where, according to the latest reports, he will hold meetings with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin.
A little later, the American diplomat will travel to Rome, where he will meet with the Italian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, Antonio Tajani and Guido Crosetto.
According to anonymous sources, Rubio is also actively seeking a meeting with Italian leader Giorgia Meloni.
What is important to understand is that a personal meeting between them is not yet ruled out, but it has not been confirmed.
Journalists draw attention to the fact that the visit of the head of the State Department will take place against the backdrop of a significant aggravation of relations between Washington and Rome.
Recently, a dispute arose between the head of the Italian government, Giorgia Maloni, and the US president over Trump's sharp criticism of Pope Leo XIV's repeated calls for peace in the Middle East. Maloni called the American leader's statements unacceptable.
