But here once again, our engineering and economic knowhow are mutually reinforcing. And lastly, of course , we need to function more closely together in order to tackle illegal migration, especially by sea. And are very proud that the UNITED KINGDOM is home to around 600, 000 Italians and the contribution which they make every day to British life and to British economic climate is something that we should enjoy. I want to begin, however , with a thanks a lot. That is what the UK wants. Because galvanised by the war in Ukraine, we have, We are pleased to say, already started to do just that. At this point, the fourth area is in trade and commerce, the lifeblood of our economies. Now, over 30, 1000 Brits call Italy their home and we are very grateful for that warm welcome that you give them. The UK leads NATO’s enhanced forwards presence in Estonia whilst Italian soldiers are guarding NATO’s southeastern flank within Bulgaria. Just a few metres from here in the garden of the residence runs a Roman aqueduct. The third area where we should work together is energy protection. And we thank you deeply for the. Therefore i am very glad to be here, although I believe Boudica might have been less excited taking part in this bilateral conference. If you are unsure which is which usually, the cold, windy seasons blow on our coasts instead of yours. If at any point you want to swap, talk to me later on. Italy is very much doing its bit. The safety of our energy supplies changed. And as we approach the 80th anniversary from the landings in Sicily come early july and at Anzio or the Battle of Monte Cassino the coming year, I want to tell you how handled I am by the regard paid by Italians to commemorating our fallen across the duration and breadth of this country. Which growing partnership must extend to foreign policy, as well. Now, the ties in between Britain and Italy go back a very long way. We have mutually reinforcing advantages in the Western Balkans, throughout the Mediterranean to the south and to the east and in Africa as we work to stop the hunger that Putin’s aggression towards Ukraine has unleashed. Both our own countries have received huge numbers of illegal arrivals by sea: over 105, 000 within Italy last year and over 45, 000 in the UK. So on Ukraine, defence, foreign policy, on industry, on dealing with illegal migrations, there is a lot of work to undertake and it is a big agenda. We both have new youthful prime ministers, fresh youthful leaders with energy plus dynamism and enthusiasm. Now we are already carrying out a lot together. But as the ambassador just said, three members of the British cabinet are in Rome today. You have years of experience coping with these issues across the Mediterranean and before that across the Adriatic Sea as well. Insieme. And above all, the necessity to stand up for what we trust in. I know Italy and the United Kingdom have expert teams on the ground, demonstrating our work together to respond with assist and common humanity to this appalling situation. After a number of name changes, that settlement is now Braintree, the primary town in my constituency. Leaders motivated by the example of Margaret Thatcher and the ideas of Robert Scruton. The security of global food supplies, particularly those to poorer countries, changed. And further afield, as strategic partners, we must address together the risks posed by Iran as well as the challenges that go hand-in-hand with the rise of China. But much more recently, Uk forces played a main role in the liberation of the country. And I hope that individuals can swiftly conclude the task on our Bilateral Cooperation Contract to provide an enduring framework for our cooperation in years to come. Created of one simple fact: we Brits and Italians rather such as each other. But both our countries will suffer from the effects of environment change. That is what our Italian language friends want. It’s time to make a leap, as Minister Tajani put it, to this conference organised by the Italian language Embassy for the British media in Venice ten times ago, in the quality of our relationship. After her defeat, it was decided to build a fortified settlement. It really is an enormous challenge: humanitarian, social, criminal, political. The need for unity. For buddies to come together. And to stick together as allies in times of danger. And let me spend tribute to Prime Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) Maloney and to PM Draghi before her. Just like a particular feisty young lady from my part of The uk, from East Anglia, had been launching a rebellion plus Queen Boudica was attacking the Roman garrisons in East Anglia in and around Kent, including, of course , Colchester. Now, rooted in those people strong foundations, we must turn to the future. This multi-billion pound programme will be at the heart of our cooperation for many, many years to come. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may have exposed our vulnerabilities, but it has also galvanised the joint determination to address all of them. My Italian, is poor and limited, but my message is heartfelt. The 2nd area where we need to function even more closely is on defence and foreign plan. We need to do everything in our power to make certain that Ukraine prevails in this battle between might and right. The security of our economies transformed. The first, of course , is on Ukraine and the consequences associated with Russia’s invasion. As well as we must. Italy’s government, a lot more than any other, I think, shares our own sense of urgency over the need to address illegal migration. These are our values, plus they deserve to be protected. And I hope that people can use this special thirtieth anniversary to launch a new era in British-Italian assistance. But once again, good though that is, we must do a lot more. And I am glad he is in the audience here this evening mainly because I would also like to pay tribute to my friend and colleague Ben Wallace, the Protection Secretary, for having the experience and confidence to help provide and train the Ukrainians before the most recent invasion in February. This underscores our determination to work together to keep our countries and our allies safe. The construction has been begun early in the rule of Emperor Claudius, who else in his spare time, when not developing major Roman infrastructure, was invading Britain. And we should seize that opportunity. Typhoon aircraft of the Royal Air Force and the Italian Air Force built in the UK and in Italia with Germany and Spain are patrolling the air on NATO’s northern plus eastern flanks. As has Pierre Maloney’s ambition to turn the southern part of Italy into a regional energy hub. A time for opportunity. A message heard loud and clear in Westminster these days when we heard from Chief executive Zelensky in a personal, powerful speech to parliamentarians within Westminster Hall on his trip to Britain today. Because I am aware that these are Italian ideals and these are British values. Not just here in Europe, but also on the other side of the world. This really is indeed, as Minister Tajani says, a turning point in our relations. And this is a world that we must face together. Italy is commanding NATO’s mission in Kosovo and its mission within Iraq and the EU quests in Somalia and maritime missions in the Mediterranean as well as the Straits of Hormuz, where nearly 11, 000 personnel are deployed in thirty seven international missions in 25 countries. So allow us to work more closely with each other and learn from each other on this and on things more broadly. The need for allies and democracies to protect each other, the need for strong defence to deter war, the need for common sense to diversify our supply chains and to protect those supply chains. And it had been nearing completion in AD61 under the then-Emperor Nero. Buonasera a tutti. That is what I want. And nowhere had been our mutual affection summed up better than in Italy’s reaction to the death of our late Queen in September of last year. They are strong and they are vibrant. Weaving a wealthy tapestry between our nations and our people. Our security as freedom-loving European nations changed because we recognised we had a good aggressor in our midst. Just a few weeks ago, our two prime ministers and the Prime Minister associated with Japan announced the launch of our new global fight air programme. Grazie. Cricket, however , has still yet to make the worldwide transfer. I’d rather prefer to keep it that way, so at least there’s one sport exactly where we have a fighting possibility of beating Italy at. We are both trading nations and we have traded together for centuries. We look forwards very much to welcoming Prime Minister Meloni to London and also to Italy’s presidency from the G7 next year, when you can anticipate to see even more of us going to your great country with even greater frequency. But some things did not change whatsoever. And wherever a person look, you can see evidence of that will. And I’m delighted that an Exports and Investment decision agreement, which my Cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch authorized with Minister Tajani this morning, will help us achieve just that. In a little over a couple weeks, we will mark with our Ukrainian friends the solemn anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the 24th associated with February, a date which, to echo President Roosevelt, may live on in infamy. But we are able to invest even further in our partnership. And I will say more about that in a moment. Searching ahead, I see five locations where the UK and Italy need to work far more closely together. From 1, Italy’s response to that intrusion has been robust on sanctions, on seizing assets, on delivering humanitarian aid, on supplying weapons, on welcoming refugees or making plans to aid Ukraine’s rebuilding. Italy offers at every stage done the appropriate thing. Andiamo avanti. He said, you can rely on Italy. And to anybody who harboured doubts about the United Kingdom’s ironclad commitment to European security after the exit from the European Union, each day since Russia invaded, Ukraine has given you your solution. And in doing so, probably help them defend their capital city in that initial wave of the conflict. A thank you to the Pontignano conference and to our seat today, Lord Willetts, designed for advocating the strongest feasible relationship between our two countries. A person play a vital role in hosting key NATO bases, such as the Joint Force Command in Naples, where many British personnel are stationed. Due to the fact as we sit here tonight, in the warmth and in the sunshine, tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are sheltering within cellars in the cold, at nighttime, wondering what horrors the night or the morning may bring. Nevertheless , as the CEO forum outlined, we want and need to deepen our business and industrial contacts. One of the main reduction countries, Libya, is a country that you know well. As likeminded countries with many similar interests but various regions of geographical expertise, we have much to learn from each other. Yet I think that it is family ties and the ties of strong friendship between our individuals that count the most. And our voters rightly demand that people get on top of it. We will never forget how the President came from the airport, from a international visit to sign the condolence book here in the home, or how many Italians queued to sign the condolence book at our charge. Indeed, legend has it that football was imported to Italy by a British expat residing in Genoa. And I’ve observed that repeatedly, and I can assure you, so have our mutual friends within Ukraine. We are, of course , starting that work with Home Office officials conference their Italian colleagues in London today. We meet sadly at the time when Turkey and north Syria are responding to a number of huge earthquakes that have so far claimed over ten thousand lives and left numerous thousand homeless. To stand up for democracy, for justice, for freedom, for freedom, for the principle of law, and for the particular international order. Today our ties are usually modern. But we must keep up the pressure. Indeed, we must do more, we must do it better and we must do it faster. On that date, everything transformed. Because, as my colleague, International Minister Antonio Tajani describes, we are at a turning point within our relationship. I am proud that our complete military assistance last year in order to Ukraine was second only to the United States of America. Our experience at COP26 and our presidency associated with COP26 demonstrated that. The speed with which Italy has moved to do so, including along with Prime Minister Maloney’s current visit to Algeria, has impressed us all. So it is time for you to put this burgeoning connection between the UK and Italy onto a new, strong footing to cement this renewed alliance between London and Rome. And as we do this, we must equip ourselves to cope with the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be. An island encircled by windy seas along with a sun drenched peninsula have got obvious advantages when it comes to alternative energy. Frontrunners who believe in the nation state, who are committed to working with allies and partners, leaders who have believe in freedom and a have to defend it. A time for aspiration. And you can see those connections in the here and now, whether it be through fashion, or tradition, or cooking or sport. And we are here with a single overarching purpose: to demonstrate Britain’s commitment to Italy and to take our bilateral romantic relationship to a new, higher level. It is the most powerful example of the growing partnership between Britain and Italy. So when we work together, we are more than the sum of our components. Mr Tajani said to me in our very first phone call, and he was correct.
