Vance Meets With EU President, Italian Prime Minister in Hopes of Fostering Trade Talks

‘I think we’ll have a great conversation, and hopefully it will be the beginning of some long-term trade negotiations,' U.S. Vice President JD Vance said.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance (L) meets with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (C) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Chigi Palace in Rome, Italy, on May 18, 2025. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via Reuters

U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Rome on May 18. Vance said he hoped the rendezvous would lead to more trade discussions between the United States and the European Union.

“Europe is an important ally of the United States ... but, of course, we have some disagreements, as friends sometimes do, on issues like trade,” Vance said.