Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has cautioned against a trade war ahead of President Donald Trump’s expected announcement of sweeping new tariffs targeting U.S. trade partners.
“We must do everything we can to prevent a trade war that would benefit neither the U.S. nor Europe,” Meloni said on Wednesday.
However, she added that Europeans must be prepared to “defend ourselves if necessary.”
Meloni expressed particular concern about potential tariffs on Italian agricultural products.
The right-wing prime minister is considered one of the most important contacts for the U.S. government among European leaders.
Trump has lauded her on several occasions, and Meloni has visited him twice in recent months.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella called Trump’s planned tariffs a “serious mistake” and urged a unified European response that was both calm and decisive.
Trump is set to announce new tariffs on imports in a speech at the White House Rose Garden at 4 p.m. (2000 GMT). For weeks, he has been promoting April 2 as “Liberation Day” in the United States.
