Europe should take stock says Meloni after U.S. vote

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 8 - Premier Giorgia Meloni on Friday said "we know what we need to do" in Europe, now the "point is whether we want to give member states the necessary resources - this is the real debate", rriving at an informal European Council meeting in Budapest.
    "I don't know whether concrete solutions will be reached this morning, but it is the central element", she noted.
    Speaking about Tuesday's presidential election in the United States, Meloni stressed Europe should take stock and evaluate itself.
    "I think Europe should find a solution and assess itself.
    "It looks like we are discovering issues today, I am thinking about competitiveness, tariffs.
    "However, I remember that the debate on European competitiveness is a debate that started months ago in the wake of the Inflation Reduction Act.
    "If we wanted to say this quoting American presidents - ask not what the United States can do for you, ask what Europe can do for itself, which is this morning's debate", said Meloni.
    The US measure last year sparked concern in Europe that it could shift investments to the United States, threatening EU competitiveness.
    The European Commission responded in February 2023 with its Green Deal Industrial Plan to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with increased levels of state aid to help Europe compete as a manufacturing hub for clean tech products.
    Meloni on Friday also said Tesla and X owner Elon Musk is an added value and potential interlocutor, speaking to reporters ahead of a gathering of the European Political Community.
    Musk is "an added value of our time and a possible interlocutor", the Italian prime minister said.
    Meloni talked to Musk on Thursday following Donald Trump's victory in Tuesday's presidential election in the United States.
    The world's richest man was a big supporter of Trump's campaign.
    And speaking about the war in Ukraine, Meloni also said ahead of Friday's gathering that "Ukrainians have had extraordinary courage, the West has supported Ukraine and I thinks this is the element that makes the difference".
    "We will see how the scenario evolves in the coming weeks, but I stress that, until there is a war, Italy will be beside Ukraine", said Meloni. (ANSA).