Mario Draghi, Pedro Sanchez and Antonio Costa, the prime ministers of Italy, Spain and Portugal, met on Friday at a mini “Mediterranean summit” in Rome.
They also contacted Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis via videoconference, as he is in isolation due to a positive coronavirus test and was unable to travel to the Italian capital.
The goal of the mini-summit is to find consensus on reforming European energy markets and lowering energy prices ahead of the upcoming European Council meeting next week. The war in Ukraine was also on the agenda. euronews.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called for urgent action given the situation in agriculture, transport and other sectors due to the significant increase in electricity and fuel prices:
“The European Union has responded with unity and determination to the aggression against Ukraine. Now it must find the same unity and the same determination in confronting our crises, of which there are many: one of them is energy, but not the only one.”
Mario Draghi emphasized the importance of the southern coast of the continent for supplies to the rest of Europe and the need to work on diversifying energy supplies and developing renewable energy sources in order to reduce energy dependence on Russia. He said: “Achieving a preventive agreement is the goal of the meeting.”
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