Giorgia Meloni Balances US and Russia as Italy Navigates Venezuela Crisis and Arctic Tensions with Strategic Caution
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni projected a careful balance between major powers during her New Year’s press conference on 9 January 2026, positioning Italy as a pragmatic actor navigating intensifying US-Russia tensions.
While the US military action in Venezuela drew strong condemnation from much of the international community—including sharp statements from India and UN leadership—Meloni refrained from aligning unequivocally with Washington. Instead, she focused on protecting Italian national interests and reaffirmed a preference for multilateral diplomacy.
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| Image Source: GreenpeaceItalia |
She welcomed the unilateral decision by Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez to release Biagio Pilieri and expressed “confidence” about further releases. “We fully understand and appreciate the gesture,” she said, without commenting directly on the US-led military intervention that preceded it.
While much of Europe publicly backed the US line on Venezuela, Meloni struck a deliberately cautious tone, avoiding any endorsement of the operation that has seen President Nicolás Maduro detained in New York by US authorities. Her silence on the legality of the strike, which the Venezuelan government has condemned as a violation of the UN Charter, contrasted with more vocal European allies — suggesting Italy is pursuing an independent line rooted in de-escalation.
Equally telling was her response to questions about US geopolitical moves in the Arctic, particularly renewed US pressure for strategic control over Greenland — an issue that has reignited transatlantic tensions. Meloni reiterated that she does not support any military annexation of Greenland, calling such a move both “unwise” and “against the interests of all parties.”
While acknowledging that Washington may be pursuing “more assertive” negotiations for strategic access, she emphasized the importance of respecting sovereignty, the role of Denmark, and the European Union's stake in Arctic affairs.
Conferenza stampa di inizio anno. Seguitemi in diretta. https://t.co/rnsoat2DOb
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) January 9, 2026
On Russia, Meloni maintained a notably restrained posture, avoiding inflammatory language even amid recent controversies over LNG imports. Despite growing calls within Europe to expedite the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels, Meloni refrained from echoing hawkish rhetoric. Instead, her remarks suggested a focus on national energy security, legal compliance, and European unity.
Her government has not opposed LNG imports from Russia’s Arctic projects such as Yamal, which EU data show generated €7.2 billion in revenues for Moscow in 2025 alone. Italy, however, has not been a leading destination for these imports, with France and Belgium dominating the trade.
By steering clear of overt alignment with either the US or Russia, Meloni reaffirmed her government’s core diplomatic identity: nationalist in priorities, but multilateral in method.
The Italian Prime Minister has increasingly sought to frame Italy as a bridge between diverging global blocs — a posture visible in Rome’s expanded African outreach under the Mattei Plan and its mediating role in European energy strategy.