Nato and transatlantic ties underpin Italy's foreign policy and it will always be bound by friendship to the US, whose soldiers helped free Europe from World War II dictatorships and bring peace to the continent, according to foreign minister Antonio Tajani.
"For us, the Atlantic alliance is a guiding principle of our foreign policy, like our presence in the European Union and transatlantic relations, regardless of who has been, is or will be the president of the US, Tajani told reporters in Washington.
Tajani is attending a Nato summit in Washington through Thursday at which Russia's invasion 29-month-old invasion of Ukraine and the former Soviet republic's Nato aspirations are expected to dominate proceedings.
"We are friends of the US, to whom we owe perennial thanks for the sacrifice of so many young people who left to fight dictatorships, guaranteeing peace and freedom to the entire EU," Tajani stated.
Italy has been friends of the Bush, Reagan, Clinton, Obama, Trump and Biden administrations, Tajani underlined.
"Ours is a relationship with the U," he said.
The three-day Nato summit in Washington marks the military alliance's 75th anniversary.
