Meloni visits Gulf partners to secure energy supplies

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni departed for Saudi Arabia on Friday, beginning a previously unannounced diplomatic tour that includes high-level meetings in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The two-day mission is intended to signal support for Gulf partners amidst regional volatility and to safeguard the energy interests of Italy. This visit represents the first by a European Union leader to the region since the start of the conflict involving the United States and Israel in late February.