Remarks by the Vice President Prior to a Meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy in Rome, Italy

PRIME MINISTER MELONI: (Speaks Italian. No translation provided.) Do you mind if I make it Italian --

VICE PRESIDENT VANCE: Please. Yes, go ahead.

PRIME MINISTER MELONI: -- then we'll translate it?

VICE PRESIDENT VANCE: Yes.

PRIME MINISTER MELONI: (Speaks Italian. No translation provided.) I was simply saying thank you for being here. I want to add that I'm proud that you decided to pass the Easter here in Rome, and -- and we really hope you will enjoy this time.

And I'm honored to welcome you here in the -- in Palazzo Chigi after the wonderful meeting we had yesterday in Washington, in which we've been discussing many topics. Many others, we will discuss today. But in any case -- in any case, Italy and the United States are commit- -- committed to announce their strong cooperation. We think Italy can be a reliable and -- and a serious partner in Europe, in the Mediterranean -- in the Mediterranean area, and so we are proud to have this special relation with -- with U.S. and with this admin- -- administration.

VICE PRESIDENT VANCE: Great. Well, thank you, Prime Minister Meloni. It's wonderful to see you again.

And I hope that's exactly what you said. Of course, she could have called me a jerk, and I wouldn't know, but it would be in the most beautiful language imaginable. (Laughter.) And so, I -- I wouldn't even get offended.

But I -- I appreciate our friendship, both between our nations but also between us personally. And certainly, the president sends his best regards to you, but to the people of Italy.

I couldn't help as -- as I drove around these streets -- we arrived this morning with my wife and our -- our three young children. We're looking forward to spending Easter here. But this is a s- -- it is place that was built by people that love humans and love God. And the streets, the buildings, the beautiful landscape and cityscape, I think it really lifts up the human spirit.

So, we're going to have some good conversations. But I -- I also take some inspiration from being in this beautiful city filled with wonderful people. And so, we're grateful to you, and, of course, to the people of Rome, the people of Italy for their friendship and also for their warm welcome.

We have a couple of important issues to discuss today. I want to update the prime minister on some of the negotiations between Russia-Ukraine and also some of the things that have happened even in the past 24 hours. We think we have some interesting things to report on, of course, in private.

So, those negotiations -- I won't prejudge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war, this very brutal war, to a close.

I also, of course, want to talk to the prime minister about some of the economic relationships -- very important -- between Italy and the United States. But, of course, we're having some big trade negotiations between not just Italy and the United States but the whole European Union. We talked a great deal about that yesterday with the president, and we'll follow up on those conversations today.

But most of all, just thrilled to be in the presence of a dear friend in a beautiful place with great people.

So, thank you for having me.

PRIME MINISTER MELONI: Thank you very much. Thank you very much.