The statement came as Meloni held back-to-back transatlantic meetings with Donald Trump and his deputy JD Vance, winning a warm welcome from the U.S. president that contrasted with his frostier treatment of other European leaders.

European levies aimed at hitting dominant U.S. tech giants such as Alphabet's Google Meta's Facebook Apple and Amazon have been a longstanding irritant for U.S. administrations, including Trump's.​