Full Breakdown
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Visits Norway to Deepen Energy, Critical-Minerals and Defence Ties
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Core Event: First Italian Leader Visit to Norway in Nearly 15 Years
On September 17, 2026, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni travelled to Oslo for the first official visit by an Italian head of government to Norway in almost fifteen years. She met Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, attended a dinner with business representatives from both countries, and was accompanied by the CEOs of defence group Leonardo and shipbuilder Fincantieri (Reuters; Straitstimes). The trip is framed as a bid to expand strategic cooperation in energy, critical minerals and defence.
Background & Context
Italy has been seeking to diversify its energy supplies amid market volatility linked to the United States-Iran conflict. Recent Italian delegations have visited key gas-producing partners such as Algeria and Azerbaijan (Straitstimes; Reuters). Norway, a leading European energy exporter, is viewed as a natural partner for Italy’s energy-security agenda and for broader EU-wide measures on energy prices.
Data & Statistics
- Natural-gas exports: Norway shipped roughly 122 billion cubic metres of gas in 2025, accounting for 31 % of the EU’s gas imports and 54 % of pipeline-delivered gas to the bloc.
- Global production share: Norway’s crude-oil output represents about 2 % of global demand, while its natural-gas output is about 3 %. By 2025 it is projected to rank among the world’s top 10 oil producers.
- Italian imports: In 2023, Norway supplied 6.5 % of Italy’s imported natural gas, up from 2.7 % in 2021 (ARERA data cited by Il Foglio). Norway’s share of crude-oil imports to Italy stood at 1.7 % (Union for Energy and Mobility data cited by Il Foglio).
- Corporate links: Norwegian energy group Vaar Energi is majority-owned by Italy’s Eni (Reuters; Straitstimes).
Official Statements & Responses
Italian sources reported that Meloni and Støre would discuss broader international issues, including the war in Ukraine and developments in the Arctic, which Rome describes as a “natural area” for closer cooperation. The Italian government presented the visit as part of a wider effort to consolidate strategic ties in energy and to expand collaboration into defence and critical-minerals sectors.
Why It Matters
- Energy security: Strengthening Italy-Norway links could lessen Italy’s exposure to volatile gas markets and support the EU’s goal of stable, diversified energy supplies.
- Critical-minerals partnership: Joint initiatives may help both countries secure supplies of minerals essential for renewable-energy technologies and defence equipment.
- Defence industry synergy: The presence of Leonardo and Fincantieri executives signals potential deeper cooperation in defence manufacturing and shipbuilding.
- Infrastructure relevance: Most of Norway’s gas reaches Europe via a network of pipelines that feed terminals in Belgium, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, with the Kårstø processing plant handling roughly a quarter of Norway’s gas output. The Norwegian Ministry of Energy forecasts a gradual decline in production levels toward 2030, making current partnership frameworks strategically important for long-term supply planning.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The sources are consistent regarding the visit’s objectives and the statistical portrait of Norway’s energy exports. No contradictory figures were identified. However, detailed outcomes of the meetings—such as specific agreements on critical-minerals projects or defence contracts—were not disclosed, leaving the concrete results of the trip unclear.