Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, speaking at a panel discussion during the 8th European Political Community summit in Yerevan, said that cooperation with neighboring countries is the best way to respond to crises.

“We are facing multiple crises today, and the problem is that they are interrelated, interconnected, and feed into one another,” she said, according to Panorama.am .

Meloni noted that focusing on individual aspects of a broader crisis cannot provide a comprehensive solution.

She explained that conflicts lead to migration flows, which in turn affect citizens’ security.

“State stability is also at risk, as resources and jobs are strained, weakening competitiveness and increasing uncertainty and social tension,” she said.

Addressing energy issues, Meloni pointed out that a significant share of Europe’s energy supply comes from unstable regions.

“This ultimately affects the quality of our democracies, as citizens see that major challenges remain unresolved, leading to declining trust in institutions and increased vulnerability to manipulation, including the malicious use of artificial intelligence,” she added.

“Migration, economy, democracy, competitiveness, energy, security—if we look at any one of these separately, we can easily link it to the others. It is impossible to address just one part of this multi-crisis situation,” Meloni said.

She emphasized that the European Union has demonstrated its ability to respond to crises in recent years, including the pandemic and developments around Ukraine.

“However, this capacity must be doubled. We need to build additional capabilities that are not only reactive but also preventive and proactive. This is our long-term strategy, which must also involve our geographical neighbors more actively,” she said.

In conclusion, Meloni stressed that Italy places particular importance on Mediterranean cooperation.

“By combining security, energy, and development, cooperation with neighboring countries is the best way to respond to crises that are numerous, simultaneous, and stem from the same sources,” she concluded.

On May 4, Yerevan hosted the 8th European Political Community summit, followed by the first Armenia–European Union summit on May 5, with around 50 high-level delegations in attendance.