Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Palazzo Chigi for the second time in six months to discuss several issues, focusing on irregular migration and European cooperation.

On Wednesday, the Italian parliament also approved the decree on migration flows, which includes a government list of safe countries, new rules transferring decision-making power on migrant detention to the courts of appeal, and stricter measures for NGOs working in the Mediterranean.

The meeting unfolded against the backdrop of broader European dynamics, including the potential role of Meloni and Orbán as diplomatic brokers amid the incoming Trump administration and the political uncertainties facing France and Germany.

In other words, the meeting between the two leaders seems to reflect ongoing bilateral efforts and a broader shift in European geopolitics as the two seem to be positioning themselves at the forefront of shaping the EU’s future in uncertain times.