Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni embarked on a previously unannounced diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates this weekend. The visit began Friday with a stop in Saudi Arabia, followed by arrival in Doha on Saturday.
The two-day diplomatic effort aims to strengthen ties with Gulf nations and secure energy supplies. Italy is highly dependent on energy imports and has expressed increasing concern over rising prices.
Meloni is the first leader from an EU or NATO country to visit the region since the start of the war in Iran, signaling a focused effort to bolster energy security through international partnerships.