The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on Europe today (Thursday) to prepare for increased pressure on Iran if it refuses to negotiate, and to ease it at the same time.

Meloni said before Parliament: “If Tehran continues down its wrong path, threatening freedom of navigation, launching attacks, supporting militias, and violating its international obligations, the European Union must be ready to increase pressure through new targeted measures,” noting that the ongoing tension in the Strait of Hormuz has led to rising energy prices and negatively impacted the global economy.

Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, the Italian Prime Minister emphasized the need for European allies of Kyiv to appoint a single representative for talks with Moscow to end the war, explaining that small groups of countries cannot represent the entire bloc.

Meloni stated that there is no specific group that has the legitimacy to speak on behalf of European countries, stressing the necessity for Europe to communicate with Moscow to stop the conflict.

She added: “The efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine also require stronger coordination between Europe and the United States,” considering that this poses “a challenge that is not always easy but is necessary.”

The leaders of the European troika, consisting of Britain, France, and Germany, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (on Sunday) and affirmed their support for Kyiv's proposal to hold talks with Russia to reach a ceasefire.