Italian premier invites Turkish president to visit Italy for intergovernmental summit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday to visit Italy in the first half of 2025 for a new session of the Italy-Türkiye Intergovernmental Summit.

During a phone call, Meloni and Erdoğan focused on the strength of bilateral relations, underlining the importance of continuing to work to further consolidate the steadily growing trend in trade, said in a statement by the Italian government.

While reaffirming Israel's right to defend itself, Meloni however stressed the need to increase humanitarian aid to the civilian populations affected by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

The two also highlighted the common commitment to call for a cease-fire in Gaza and in Lebanon.

"With regard to the latter, Meloni underscored the crucial role played by UNIFIL and the need for the safety of this mission to be guaranteed at all times," the statement added.

According to a statement early Tuesday by Türkiye's Communications Directorate, President Erdoğan praised Rome's response to Israel's aggression in the region, stressing Türkiye's determined efforts for peace in the Middle East.

He also told Meloni that support from Rome would strengthen Ankara's hand in efforts at the UN to halt arms sales to Israel.

"President Erdoğan underlined the importance of the international community acting together to stop Israeli aggression and noted that Italy's support for Türkiye's initiative at the UN to halt arms sales to Israel would strengthen this effort," said the statement.

President Erdoğan said that Israel's attacks on Palestinian territories, including Gaza, as well as its assaults on Lebanon and the UN peacekeepers there are unacceptable.

Israel has mounted a huge air campaign in Lebanon since last month against what it says are Hezbollah targets in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group since the start of Israel's brutal offensive on Gaza.

At least 2,546 people have been killed and more than 11,860 injured in Israeli attacks since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 this year by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon.