Italy’s entry into Pax Silica may be closer than it appears. Rome has spent months weighing whether to join the initiative through which the United States seeks to secure — the often unstated implication being, from China — the critical minerals value chains required for artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.
The timing may now be right. Strongly backed by both the State Department and the National Security Council, Italy’s participation could also help ease recent strains in the relationship between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump.
