Meloni visits Italian military contingent in Lithuania

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 22 - Premier Giorgia Meloni on Sunday visited an Italian military contingent deployed as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission to safeguard the airspace of the Baltic Republics, after attending a meeting hosted by Finland in its northern Lapland region, with the premiers of Sweden and Greece, as well as the EU foreign affairs chief, to discuss security in the Nordic region and the Mediterranean and migration challenges.
    "The homeland is a mother, that mother wants to say thank you" because it "appreciates and recognizes the extraordinary sacrifices you make, the value those sacrifices bestow and produce for your nation", she said during her visit to the air base of Šiauliai.
    "Italy takes part in 37 missions abroad, we are the first contributor in Europe, the second in NATO, our professionalism, our heroism are requested all over the world.
    "It is something that makes us proud but creates the conditions to defend the national interest at the negotiations that count.
    "My credibility and the nation's credibility walk especially on your legs, the future of Italy in its ability to defend national interests flies in particular on your wings", said Meloni.
    (ANSA).