ATHENS

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Thursday that US President-elect Donald Trump’s remarks about Greenland and the Panama Canal are messages to other big powers, particularly China, rather than hostile claims.

“I rule out that the US in the coming years will try to forcefully annex territories that interest them,” she said at an annual news conference in Rome, organized by Italy’s National Council of the Order of Journalists and Parliamentary Press Association.

Underlining that Trump’s threat of annexing the canal and Greenland is a message to other major powers, Meloni said, “The Panama Canal is fundamental for global trade, Greenland is rich in strategic raw materials, and these are territories that have seen a growing Chinese interests in recent years.”

“It is a forceful way of saying that the US will not stand by and watch in the face of possible initiatives by other large players.”

As to possible revision of US policy under Trump on the war in Ukraine, Meloni said, “I do not foresee a disengagement, and I do not read it in Trump's statements.”

Maintaining that the only way to end to war and ensure a long-lasting resolution is forcing Russia to sit for peace negations by creating difficult conditions, she added,” “Trump has shown that he knows how to balance diplomacy and deterrence. I predict that he will be able to do so again.”

On Trump’s threats of raising tariffs on imports from Europe, Meloni said increasing tariffs would harm the US and the EU economies, and a solution has to be found through dialogue.

In response to a question about Elon Musk’s remarks expressing support for far-right forces in European politics, more specifically in the UK and Germany, she said, “Musk is a well-known and wealthy person who expresses his positions.”

“The problem is when wealthy people use those resources to finance parties and political figures to influence political choices. This is not what Musk does, this is what (George) Soros does and when it happened, they were called philanthropists,” Meloni added.

Trump, who is taking office Jan. 20, said Jan. 7 that Greenland should become part of the US to ensure national security and protect against potential threats from China and Russia.

Trump is also actively promoting the idea of Canada becoming the 51st US state. He said many Canadians support his proposal, and the move would bring economic stability to Canada and shield it from perceived external threats, including "Russian and Chinese ships."

He also criticized the high tariffs for Panama Canal transit and argued that the 1999 transfer of control to Panama was intended as a gesture of cooperation, not a concession.

Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino in response has firmly stated that the canal’s ownership is non-negotiable.