Rome, 9 January 2025 (dpa/MIA) — Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is aiming for a central leadership role in Europe as President-elect Donald Trump prepares his return to the White House on January

Meloni announced on Thursday in Rome that she plans to attend Trump's inauguration. She confirmed that she received a personal invitation from the future US president and said she will travel to Washington for the occasion if her schedule allows.

"I would be delighted to be there," she said.

Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, is considered the European leader with the closest contacts to the Trump camp.

She visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida at the weekend. After the meeting, Trump praised the Italian leader as a "fantastic woman."

Meloni has described her relationship with Trump as "very solid," suggesting that this could also benefit Europe as a whole.

At a press conference at the beginning of the new year in Rome, Meloni made it clear that she could envision a role as a "bridge-builder" across the Atlantic, especially as the right-wing camp has gained significant ground in other European countries.

She has also defended Trump against criticism from other EU capitals over his recent territorial claims on Greenland and the Panama Canal, taking a distinctly different tone from Berlin or Paris, which had expressed considerable concerns.

"I rule out that the US in the coming years will try to forcefully annex territories that interest them," she said in Rome on Thursday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, however, has said that international borders should not be changed by force. Harsh tones were also voiced by the French government.

Along with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Meloni is seen as one of the best contacts within the EU to the Republican camp in Washington.

However, domestically, there is criticism from the opposition that she appears to be a Trump "cheerleader."

Meloni defended herself against such accusations by saying she also has an "optimal relationship" with outgoing US President Joe Biden.

Furthermore, Meloni expressed confidence that the US will not abandon Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russia.

"Trump has shown that he knows how to balance diplomacy and deterrence. I predict that he will be able to do so again," she said.

In Kiev, there are great concerns that Trump might abandon support for Ukraine after nearly three years of war.

Meloni has also defended tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk, with whom she has a friendly relationship.

In response to a question about Musk's support for European right-wing parties, including in Britain and Germany, she said Musk is "not a threat to democracy."

The Italian government is currently in talks with Musk's company SpaceX over a billion-dollar contract for secure communication services.

Since October 2022, Meloni has been leading a coalition in Rome comprising three right-wing and conservative parties. In her youth, she was a member of a neo-fascist movement. During the election campaign, she did not hold back on criticism of the European Union.

During her current tenure, she is steering Italy towards a European-focused agenda. Her party currently leads in polls with around 28%, ahead of all other parties.