Media: US president, Italy’s PM discuss Rome possibly hosting Trump-Putin meeting

US President Donald Trump spoke with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on August 7 about the possibility of meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Rome next week, Sky News understands.

According to Italian government sources, if the US and Russian leaders did meet in Rome, it would be at the Vatican City. However, the Russian news agency TASS has dismissed the likelihood of Italy serving as the venue for such talks, Caliber.Az reports.

When asked about the possibility, Italian government sources declined to comment, and both the Vatican and US embassy sources in Rome also refrained from making any statements.

"Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani believes that, no matter how and wherever a genuine diplomatic dialogue between Russia and Ukraine proceeds, Italy will be ready to support this process sincerely and constructively," a spokesperson for the Italian Foreign Ministry told Sky News. 

A significant legal complication for any meeting in Italy or the Vatican is the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued for President Putin. Italy, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, is legally obliged to arrest Putin if he sets foot in the country.

The ICC issued the warrant in March 2023, accusing Putin of unlawful deportation of children and unlawful transfer of people from Ukrainian territory to the Russian Federation.

By Sabina Mammadli