“We respect the British voters' decision on Brexit e we know it will not be an easy negotiation and that we have to face it and, this will be the Italian attitude, in a friendly and constructive way. We have no interest in a destructive negotiation between the EU and the UK”. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni met British Prime Minister Theresa May in London, after the bilateral meeting was canceled a month ago due to the health problems of Matteo Renzi's successor.
“Italy and the United Kingdom – continued Gentiloni during the joint press conference – have a mutual interest in reassuring our fellow Italian citizens living in the United Kingdom and Britons living in Italy on the fact that their acquired rights will be respected and treated on a reciprocal basis, therefore treated well”.
The two leaders then also spoke on the hottest issues of international current affairs: "Migrants are everyone's problem", said Theresa May, adding that on Russia, the strategy advocated by London "is to maintain the sanctions for Ukraine", an opinion already reiterated several times and in slight contrast with what was expressed by the new US president Donald Trump, who, while promising a reinforced axis with the United Kingdom, has repeatedly said that he wants to collaborate more with Moscow, in open contrast to the policies chosen by the EU .
May also said that “we have laid the foundations for continuing the strong relations between our countries that will continue together for the G7 agenda, in the UN Security Council and for a new partnership with the EU. Great Britain and Italy will continue to work together and I hope that with the Italian presidency of the G7 we will have a new approach on migration flows,” added May.
