Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani will travel to Wiesbaden (Frankfurt) this afternoon for a bilateral meeting with the German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Johann Wadephul, as well as for a meeting of the European People’s Party (EPP) Foreign Ministers.
Tajani and Wadephul will discuss ways to further strengthen Italy–Germany relations, building on growing trade flows (+2% in 2025) and significant potential for cooperation in the fields of defence, transport and the energy transition, with a focus on the principle of technological neutrality. The Ministers will also address EU enlargement. Tajani will reiterate the priority the Italian Government attaches to the integration of the Western Balkans. On transatlantic issues, Tajani will reaffirm the importance of preserving unity among allies, fully implementing the EU–US Declaration of last August, and advancing the recent bilateral agreement on critical minerals—a sector in which Italy and Germany are closely aligned in promoting a stronger role for Brussels.
The two Ministers will also discuss support for Pakistan’s negotiating efforts towards a diplomatic solution concerning Iran, as well as the priority of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is essential for global food security. In this regard, Minister Tajani will highlight the launch today, together with Croatia, of the Rome Coalition on fertiliser access and food security in Hormuz, involving around 40 countries and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Ministers will also discuss developments in Gaza, the priority of preserving the ceasefire in Lebanon, and the post-United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) phase.
The meeting will provide an opportunity to further strengthen joint work between Rome and Berlin on European competitiveness, with a focus on energy prices and reforms.
