Meloni Heads to Norway to Deepen Energy, Minerals and Defence Ties

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is travelling to Oslo on Thursday for the first official visit by an Italian leader to Norway in nearly 15 years, as Rome pushes to broaden cooperation with Oslo across energy, critical minerals and defence.

Meloni is scheduled to hold talks with her Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Stoere, and to attend a dinner with business representatives from both countries aimed at encouraging bilateral investment.

The visit forms part of a wider effort to reinforce ties between Rome and Oslo, building on existing strategic cooperation in energy and extending it into new areas.

According to the daily La Stampa, the chief executives of the defence group Leonardo and the shipbuilder Fincantieri are accompanying Meloni to Oslo.

Italy has been seeking to diversify its energy supplies amid market volatility linked to the U.S. conflict with Iran. In recent months, Meloni has visited key gas-producing partners, including Algeria and Azerbaijan, to shore up relations. Norwegian energy group Vaar Energi is majority-owned by Italy's Eni.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss major international issues, among them Ukraine and developments in the Arctic, which Rome regards as a natural area for closer cooperation.