duties, money to NATO, intervention of the Turkey against the Kurds in Syria. Italy and the United States do not agree on these three fronts and the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, did not give discounts to the American number one, Donald Trump, in his two-day visit to Washington. All of this, of course, repeatedly reiterating "Atlantic friendship", never in question.
In particular, Mattarella defined as "harmful and counterproductive" the tariffs announced by Trump against the EU in retaliation after the WTO's condemnation of funding for Airbus. The Italian President has called for "a collaborative method" that avoids "an exchange of retaliatory measures", also because, in a few months, the WTO ruling on American support for Boeing will arrive. Trump's response: "Europe was unfair to Airbus and now we're even." But then he also added: "We don't want to be harsh with Italy, we'll see if we can address the issue".
As for what is happening in the North of the Syria, "that of Turkey was a grave error which Italy condemned without hesitation – Mattarella underlined – But the solution does not lie in the sanctions, which will also be inevitable. The solution lies in the halt of military operations and in the withdrawal of Turkey". An implicit condemnation of the American decision to withdraw troops from the region.
Speaking then of the NATO, Mattarella then recalled that "it is a community of values" in which Italy currently represents the fifth contributor: the second regarding military missions.
No indication on the other hand Italian Web Tax, object of Trump's threats: "We have not discussed it, it is an important problem but there are adequate international forums to address this issue," said Mattarella.
