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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that Europe and the United States are united by shared values, UATV English reports.
As reported by ANSA, Meloni met with Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Milan ahead of the official opening of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.
The U.S. officials arrived in Milan to attend the opening ceremony and to hold talks with the Italian prime minister on a range of bilateral issues.
“We last met with the vice president in Rome at the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, and today we meet again at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. These two events illustrate the system of values that unite Europe and the United States, that unite the West, which is clearly the foundation of our cooperation, our friendship, and the future we want to build together,” Meloni said during the meeting with Vance and Rubio.
Earlier, Pope Leo XIV called on all countries to halt hostilities and respect an Olympic truce. This week, Italian President Sergio Mattarella also urged adherence to an Olympic ceasefire.
The Winter Olympic Games will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026 in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Meanwhile, a domestic debate has emerged in Italy over the possible presence of officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the Milan–Cortina Olympics, following reports that ICE agents fatally shot two people in Minnesota during immigration raids.
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