Orbán meets Meloni in Rome: Ukraine, Middle East, and EU Security on the agenda
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Monday, following his audience with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. The discussions focused on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as current European Union priorities and the continent’s evolving security landscape.
According to Meloni, the meeting offered an opportunity to review “the most important international issues of the day” — including the war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, and the European agenda. She added that they also addressed the new SAFE European security package, which aims to coordinate defense spending and strengthen collective security mechanisms across the EU.
Two different paths on the European Right
While both leaders belong to Europe’s conservative political spectrum, Orbán and Meloni represent two distinct approaches to right-wing governance within the European Union.
Meloni, leading Italy’s Brothers of Italy party, has taken a more pragmatic and centrist-leaning approach since coming to power. She supports NATO, maintains constructive engagement with EU institutions, and often seeks consensus with other European leaders — even while pursuing socially conservative and traditionalist policies at home.
Orbán, in contrast, has become the EU’s most outspoken national-conservative and illiberal figure. His government has clashed with Brussels over democratic standards, media freedom, and LGBTQ rights, while strengthening ties with Russia and China. He has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU military assistance to Ukraine and criticized Western sanctions, arguing for an alternative geopolitical strategy based on “sovereignty.”
Meloni and Orbán: Cooperation with distance
Despite occasional alignment on migration and family policy, Meloni has kept political distance from Orbán and other hardline leaders such as Poland’s former PiS government.
She has sought to position herself as a credible conservative leader within the EU, rather than part of an anti-Brussels bloc.
Orbán, meanwhile, faces economic challenges and growing domestic pressure but continues to promote Hungary’s role as an independent voice in Europe — one that prioritizes national interest over EU consensus.
In essence, Meloni represents a pragmatic and institutional right-wing leadership, while Orbán continues to champion a confrontational, nationalist model that often puts him at odds with other EU leaders.
Focus of the Rome Discussions
According to Italian government sources, Anadolu said, the Rome meeting also touched on:
- European defense coordination under the new SAFE framework;
- Energy diversification and security, in light of US sanctions on Russian oil companies;
- Migration management, particularly cooperation within the Mediterranean region;
- The future of EU enlargement and political strategy toward the Balkans and Eastern Europe.
Observers note that while Meloni and Orbán share conservative values, their strategic priorities diverge sharply — with Meloni seeking influence within EU institutions and Orbán often positioning himself against them.
As we wrote today, Pope Leo XIV receives Hungarian PM Orbán and his family in the Vatican – details and photos
You can read here in Italian: Papa Leone XIV riceve il premier ungherese Orbán e la sua famiglia in Vaticano – foto
Leggi altre notizie sull’Ungheria in italiano