On 23 June, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said in a speech before the Italian Chamber of Deputies, ahead of the European Summit this week, that the stability of Libya and its neighbouring countries is crucial in containing irregular migration flows and combating illegal trafficking across the Central Mediterranean. She warned there is a ‘tangible risk that Moscow will exploit the current instability to strengthen its presence in Libya, and thus in the Mediterranean region.’ She also noted with concern the continued decline of the European presence in the Sahel region and said Italy intends to raise this issue with the European Council, calling on it to pay greater attention to this dangerous dynamic.
For his part, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani said, ‘The situation in Libya is worrying, and we have requested that this issue be included on the agenda for discussion, given that continued instability could lead, particularly in the Mediterranean region, to increased migration flows.’