Italy and Spain to seek ‘a key role’ in revitalizing Europe

MADRID – Leaders of Italy and Spain agreed Friday to seek a bigger role in strengthening an embattled European Union during upcoming summits as France, Germany and other countries prepare for elections that could weaken western Europe’s leadership.

“Italy and Spain can play a key role in the coming months, primarily as protagonists in the European Union revival,” Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni said at a news conference after talks in Madrid with his Spanish counterpart, Mariano Rajoy.

Gentiloni and Rajoy are scheduled to join the leaders of Portugal, France, Greece, Malta and Cyprus for a one-day summit in Lisbon on Saturday. They also plan to attend talks with the 28 leaders of the EU next month in Malta and for a March gathering in Rome to mark 60 years since the establishment of a European economic union.

The leaders also agreed to resume regular bilateral summits, halted since 2013 amid frosty relations between Rajoy and the former Italian Premier, Matteo Renzi.

On Friday, Rajoy offered Gentiloni his government’s condolences for the devastating avalanche that killed 29 in a hotel crushed by tons of snow.

Asked about the souring of relations between the U.S. and Mexican governments, Rajoy said he hoped the countries would “get along as neighbours should.”

“We are sure that good judgment, sanity and common sense will prevail,” he said.