Saudi and Italy widen strategic dialogue

Saudi Arabia and Italy moved to deepen political and economic coordination after Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Jeddah, with both sides reviewing bilateral relations, exploring broader cooperation and discussing a tense regional backdrop that has sharpened concerns over trade routes, energy flows and economic stability. The talks took place on Friday, April 3, during Meloni’s Gulf tour, which also included planned stops in Qatar and the UAE.

The meeting underscored how ties between Riyadh and Rome are becoming more strategic than ceremonial. Saudi and Italian readouts indicated that the two leaders examined ways to strengthen cooperation while also addressing regional developments and the risks that military escalation could pose to global trade, energy security and the wider world economy. The emphasis on both bilateral opportunity and geopolitical risk reflected the dual purpose of Meloni’s visit: reinforcing state-to-state ties with a major Gulf partner while navigating a period of volatility affecting Europe’s energy outlook.

For Italy, the timing is significant. Meloni’s trip came as Rome faced mounting pressure from instability around the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, a route central to the transport of oil and liquefied natural gas. Reuters reported that the Italian government sees the Gulf as vital to its energy balance, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE occupying an increasingly important place in its diversification strategy. Bloomberg also reported that Rome had extended fuel-tax relief at home as higher energy prices fed into domestic economic concerns, illustrating how developments in the Gulf are now being felt directly by European consumers and policymakers.

That energy dimension helps explain why Saudi Arabia has become a more important interlocutor for European capitals seeking stability as well as supply security. Riyadh is not only one of the world’s largest crude exporters but also a central diplomatic actor in a region where political shocks can quickly spill into commodity markets. Meloni’s discussions in Jeddah therefore appeared to combine immediate crisis management with a longer-term attempt to anchor Italy more firmly in Gulf partnerships spanning energy, investment and industrial cooperation.

The Jeddah talks also build on momentum generated last year. In January 2025, Saudi Arabia and Italy announced cooperation and industrial deals worth about $10 billion during talks in AlUla, marking what Meloni then described as the opening of a new phase in the relationship. Those agreements covered sectors including infrastructure, energy, defence, sport, entertainment and tourism, suggesting that the bilateral agenda had already broadened well beyond traditional diplomacy. Friday’s meeting in Jeddah appears to have reinforced that trajectory rather than starting from scratch.

Another sign of deepening institutional ties came through diplomatic facilitation. Italy’s consular network in Jeddah has highlighted the entry into force of a bilateral visa-exemption arrangement for holders of diplomatic, special or service passports, a modest but telling indicator that both governments have been working to reduce friction in official exchanges. While such measures do not alter the commercial relationship on their own, they usually accompany a wider push to make political and economic engagement more routine and structured.

For Saudi Arabia, stronger ties with Italy fit a broader pattern in which Gulf states are widening their links with European powers on terms that extend beyond oil sales. Saudi policy under Vision 2030 has aimed to draw in foreign investment, industrial expertise, technology partnerships and tourism flows, while also positioning the kingdom as a diplomatic centre able to speak to multiple blocs at once. Italy offers industrial depth, manufacturing capability and influence within the European Union, making it a useful partner as Riyadh seeks relationships that support both economic transformation and strategic relevance. Reuters’ reporting on the visit also noted that Meloni’s journey carried a political message of solidarity toward Gulf allies under pressure from Iranian retaliation, adding a security layer to what might otherwise have been framed chiefly as an economic mission.

Meloni’s arrival in Jeddah also carried symbolic weight. Reuters described her as the first European Union leader to visit Saudi Arabia since the outbreak of the current war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, giving the visit added diplomatic resonance. In that context, the Jeddah meeting was not merely a bilateral checkpoint but part of a wider European effort to stay engaged with Gulf capitals at a time when energy markets, shipping lanes and regional security calculations are tightly interwoven.