After meeting with the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Monday, Salvini told the press that Italy is the closest tie the US currently has in the European Union. “At a moment when European Union institutions are fragile and changing significantly, Italy wants to be the most solid, effective, coherent and credible partner for the US,” Salvini said.

The leader of the far-right League Party was also scheduled to meet Vice-president Mike Pence in the White House during his trip, and had expressed pleasure at the prospect of speaking with President Donald Trump, although no meeting was planned. Salvini has been forging close relations with Trump since the US President’s election campaign.