Italy’s Meloni travels to Middle East in bid to ensure access to oil and gas – POLITICO

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is on a surprise tour of Arab Gulf states that aims to ensure Rome continues to have access to crucial energy sources in the midst of the war in Iran.

Meloni kicked off her two-day trip on Friday afternoon, meeting with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Jeddah before traveling to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

Due to security concerns, the visit — the first by a European leader to the region since the start of the war — was kept secret, with only Italian President Sergio Mattarella briefed on the plans ahead of Meloni's departure. According to Italian media, the country's intelligence services "strongly advised against" traveling to Gulf states, and ultimately persuaded the prime minister to cancel a stop in Kuwait.