Buonasera a tutti. Thank you, Rector Prencipe for your kind words of welcome. And thank you to your colleagues at Luiss, Vice President Severino and Prorector Marchetti. My warmest regards to Ambassador Zappia in Washington and to Foreign Minister Tajani and Secretary General Sequi.

It is a testament to the excellence of Luiss University that such distinguished speakers and panelists are here today to discuss the future of transatlantic relations. Italy’s close people-to-people, economic, and security ties to the United States make our bilateral relationship one of the pillars of the broader transatlantic community.