Italy says US ties "solid" after base access reports

The Italian government said its relationship with the United States remains “solid and based on full and loyal cooperation,” following media reports that Rome denied the use of a Sicilian base to US aircraft heading to the Middle East.

In a statement, cited by AP, the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy is acting “in full compliance with existing international agreements and the government’s guidelines expressed in parliament.”

The statement emphasised that requests for the military use of Italian bases are reviewed individually, in line with the country’s longstanding procedure of assessing each case separately.

“No critical issues or frictions with international partners have been registered,” the government added.

By Tamilla Hasanova