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Italy鈥檚 Meloni talks tariffs with Trump. How much can she do for the EU?

On Thursday, Italy鈥檚 Giorgia Meloni became the first European leader to travel to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump since he introduced, and then paused, 20% tariffs on the European Union in April.

The trip, combined with an expected meeting between Ms. Meloni and Vice President JD Vance in Rome on Friday, is raising debate in Europe.

Some European leaders say Ms. Meloni鈥檚 outreach, coming after months of trade-war rhetoric between the United States and the EU, threatens to undermine the bloc鈥檚 unity. Some also worry that Ms. Meloni could negotiate better terms for Italy than for the rest of the EU.

But Ms. Meloni could be Europe鈥檚 best chance for negotiations with the U.S., as the first round of EU-U.S. talks about Mr. Trump鈥檚 tariffs stalled this week. Mr. Trump has called the right-wing prime minister a 鈥渇antastic leader,鈥� and the pair share a similar conservative ideological vision on issues such as immigration and 鈥渨oke ideology.鈥�

Why would individual EU leaders talk with the U.S.?

That depends on whom you ask. If individual members have the EU鈥檚 best interests in mind, bilateral talks could act as a bridge between the Trump administration and the EU at a time when the transatlantic relationship is more fragile than ever.

In the case of Ms. Meloni, her special relationship with Mr. Trump could help push him closer to the zero-for-zero tariffs deal put forth by the EU in early April. The first round of EU-U.S. trade talks this week were unfruitful, with trade negotiators complaining they did not get clarity on Mr. Trump鈥檚 demands. Individual meetings between Mr. Trump and his closest EU allies 鈥� in this case, Ms. Meloni 鈥� could help unlock the clues about Mr. Trump鈥檚 recent chaotic trade proposals.

鈥淭here are many motives that have been floated: Sometimes it鈥檚 about revenue; sometimes it鈥檚 reindustrialization and jobs, or China,鈥� said Arancha Gonz谩lez, the dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po and Spain鈥檚 former minister of foreign affairs, during a meeting Wednesday with journalists. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know which of these contradictory objectives weigh more heavily.鈥�

Still, there are skeptics about the bilateral talks. Last week, Marc Ferracci, France鈥檚 minister for industry and energy, warned that the Meloni-Trump meeting would play into Mr. Trump鈥檚 strategy to 鈥渄ivide Europeans.鈥� Ms. Meloni wants to protect Italy鈥檚 exports, which recorded the EU鈥檚 third-highest trade surplus with the U.S. at 鈧�40 billion ($45 billion) in 2024.

Outside trade, Ms. Meloni does not always represent EU consensus. She is lukewarm on Europe鈥檚 鈥渃oalition of the willing鈥� for Ukraine security. Mr. Trump could also try to use Ms. Meloni to distance Europe from China, after China suggested closer ties with the EU amid U.S. tariffs.

How much progress can individual leaders really make?

There is nothing prohibiting EU leaders from meeting individually with Mr. Trump or Mr. Vance, according to Ms. Gonz谩lez. Such visits can be crucial diplomatic tools. In the case of Ms. Meloni and the Trump administration, it could help restore friendly relations between the U.S. and the EU.

However, bilateral talks can鈥檛 be the sole basis for decisions affecting the bloc as a whole. Concerning the looming trade war, Brussels has repeatedly said that negotiating tariffs is the responsibility of the European Commission. The EU is responsible for the trade policy of member countries and negotiates agreements.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was reportedly in close contact with Ms. Meloni ahead of her U.S. visit. 鈥淭he outreach [has been] closely coordinated,鈥� according to a commission spokesperson this week.

In turn, EU leaders appear aware of the constraints. Ms. Meloni said this week in Rome that Europe was in a 鈥渄ifficult moment鈥� and added, 鈥淚 am well aware of what I represent, and what I am defending.鈥�

Would negotiating as a bloc help EU member states?

Not necessarily.

Even if decisions relating to EU trade must ultimately be made by the bloc as a whole, previous talks via traditional routes have failed to get results. This week鈥檚 talks are just one example. The European Commission said afterward that it would continue to approach such talks 鈥渋n a constructive manner,鈥� but that 鈥渟ignificant joint efforts will be needed to achieve a successful outcome.鈥�

That was a call to the U.S. administration to put more on the table, but it is also evidence of a changing landscape when it comes to negotiations 鈥� on trade or otherwise 鈥� with Mr. Trump.

Former French President Val茅ry Giscard d鈥橢staing once warned of 鈥渢oo many cooks in the kitchen鈥� in regards to the EU鈥檚 ability to make deals. And the bloc has always 鈥渓acked strong collective negotiation methods,鈥� says Oleg Kobzteff, professor of history and international comparative politics at the American University of Paris.

Mr. Trump has instead encouraged individual meetings and charm offensives, inviting close allies like Ms. Meloni to his Mar-a-Lago Florida golf club.

So what could Ms. Meloni鈥檚 visits with Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance bring to Europe in the short term?

鈥淣ot much,鈥� says Mr. Kobtzeff. 鈥淪he could negotiate for Italy ... or use the visit to reassure Italians that she鈥檒l play ball with Trump. ... But Europe is still very powerful globally, and it鈥檚 safer to be a team player for Europe.鈥�