Meloni in Brussels is firm on Iran and Hormuz: "We are with Europe, we are there but only after a truce"

No tearing on Hormuz. No "let's arm ourselves and leave," even though the energy crisis shows its severity day by day. Giorgia Meloni - beyond the joint statement from Great Britain, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan released by Downing Street (to which Canada also joined) - has not changed her mind on the stance to take regarding the war in Iran. A stance that, at the summit of the 27, emerged as clearly majority: in response to Trump's pressure, Europe replies that it is there, but only after a ceasefire. And, a point that is by no means marginal, only under the umbrella of the United Nations. 

On the security plan for Hormuz, "I want to be clear because it seems to me that there have been some rather forced interpretations. No one is thinking of a mission from Italy to force the blockade of the Strait," said Premier Meloni.

"What we are questioning is that, when the conditions should be there, but reasonably in a post-conflict phase, is how we can offer a contribution, in agreement with the parties, to defend freedom of navigation," she added."

The 27 gathered in Brussels with two certainties: the first is that the war of the USA and Israel against Iran is not Europe's war. It is not a war that respects international law, at a time when the EU, after some lexical missteps, has returned to present itself as the main trench of multilateralism. The lunch between the 27 and the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was also, and above all, a symbolic appointment. The second certainty for the EU lies in the potentially dramatic effects of the conflict. And not only on the energy front. Meloni, just before taking off for Belgium, signed a letter with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. "We cannot risk a repeat of the phenomenon of refugee and migrant flows to the EU that we witnessed in 2015-2016. This would not only constitute a humanitarian catastrophe, but it would also risk impacting the security and cohesion of our Union", the two leaders warned. They are asking the EU leaders for pre-coordination if, with the prolongation of the conflict, there is a risk of a migration wave similar to what is happening with the war in Syria. The letter could just be the kickoff of a EU plan. It is no coincidence that it was presented by Meloni and Frederiksen at the meeting with the so-called like-minded countries on migration that usually precedes the European Council.

Meloni arrived at a European Council that was prickly, lacking real decisions, marked by the clash over renewables in which she has so far been a protagonist. The summit in Aiden Biesen already seemed very far away.

Even the meeting on competitiveness initiated by Italy, Germany, and Belgium with a large group of countries took place in a restricted format. It was a summit that recorded the forceful return of the Franco-German axis, sealed by the working dinner on Wednesday evening between Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron at the Hotel Amigo.

A long meeting served to take stock and bring the parties closer on the energy dossier and also on the super-fighter project. The Amigo is also the hotel where Meloni usually stays, having arrived in Brussels only late in the evening. Waiting for her was only Merz. The meeting between the two lasted about half an hour. Well-informed sources described it as exploratory. The topics on the table were potentially various, not least the Unicredit-Commerzbank dossier.

With Merz, there was also discussion about Iran. The war has brought the positions of Rome and Berlin closer regarding Donald Trump and the Maga world. But some distance remains. Politico revealed in the evening that during the summit, Meloni explained that she "understands" the reasons of Viktor Orban for his veto on the loan to Kiev. The conditions, the prime minister would have argued, have changed. Palazzo Chigi denied what was reported by the Brussels publication.

Certainly, such a position on the clash between the EU and Hungary would not find agreement from either Macron or Merz. Orban remains a divisive point, especially with the April 12 elections on the horizon. An appointment for which, among other things, Matteo Salvini announced he will be in Budapest next Monday, gathering the leaders of the Patriots.