Geopolitical strategies: US aids to Italy

In times of war and in times of crisis there are many possibilities to make new friends and create new geopolitical structures. It is not a mystery that Donald Trump would like a divided European Union in order to attract strategic partners who can support US hegemony in the world.

Italy was one of the countries most affected by the Coronavirus. Rome does not enjoy a brilliant economic situation, as a result it has appealed to some richer states for economic aids.

The United States has answered to this appeal through a memorandum, signed by Donald Trump. The president of the United States said: “We will show US leadership against the Chinese and Russian disinformation campaigns.” In the plan, aid to hospitals, technological and logistic supplies.

Aid to Italian hospitals, technological and logistical supplies. This is what Donald Trump promised, signing the memorandum that was published last night, when it was night in Italy, on the official website of the White House.

With this official act, the White House announced that it had accepted Italy’s request for helps.

In the first part of the memorandum, “The Italian Republic (Italy), one of our closest and oldest Allies, is being ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already claimed more than 18,000 lives, brought much of the Italian healthcare system to the brink of collapse, and threatens to push Italy’s economy into a deep recession.  The Government of Italy has requested United States assistance.  Although the United States Government’s first and foremost responsibility is to the American people, coming to the aid of Italy will help fight the COVID-19 outbreak and mitigate the impact of the crisis, while simultaneously demonstrating United States leadership in the face of Chinese and Russian disinformation campaigns, lessening the risk of re-infection from Europe into the United States, and maintaining critical supply chains.”

He continues: “The Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID Administrator), in consultation with relevant United States embassies and missions, including the United States Mission to Italy, the United States Embassy to the Holy See, and the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome.”

There is also a section dedicated to Italian business: The Secretary of State, the USAID Administrator, and the President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation, may use available authorities to support the recovery of the Italian economy, helping small and medium business.

Trump promises to “respond to Italy’s urgent need for medical equipment and supplies to combat the epidemic”, without affecting those “supplies needed” to deal with the emergency inside the United States.

By: Domenico Greco