"Keir Starmer is very interested in the migration agreement between Italy and Albania".
This is what Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said after her meeting with her British counterpart in Rome, the Guardian reports.
During the talks, Starmer pledged 4 million pounds to support the fight against illegal migration.
However, he indicated that he was more interested in Italy's strategy to stop migrants reaching the country than the deal with Albania, which is weeks away from completion.
During Starmer's visit, the two prime ministers put migration at the forefront of their discussions and were filmed joking and smiling in the gardens of Villa Doria Pamphili in Rome.
During Starmer's visit, the two prime ministers put migration at the forefront of their discussions and were filmed joking and smiling in the gardens of Villa Doria Pamphili in Rome.
The funds the UK will send to Italy will contribute to the Rome Process, which is the Italian government's project to tackle the root causes of irregular migration.
Meloni said that "no single country can be effective on its own in dismantling the human trafficking network". She added that a "more structured way" for the two countries' law enforcement agencies to work together is being explored.
The Italian prime minister said he and Starmer wanted to strengthen the very good relations between their countries, as well as increase cooperation between London and the EU.
Starmer said what the Italians have learned marks a "return to British pragmatism", and added that the "remarkable progress" Meloni has made in reducing the number of illegal migrants is due to her "upstream work dealing with the problem at its source".
"We are pragmatists, first and foremost. When we see a challenge, we discuss with our friends and allies the different approaches that are being taken, we look at what works, and that's the approach we took today. And it was a very productive day," the British leader added. | BGNES
