Rubio set to meet Italy's Meloni as both sides seek to ease frictions over Iran war

ROME (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened his second day of fence-mending meetings Friday with talks scheduled with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni in a bid to ease tensions over the war with Iran.

President Donald Trump's tariffs, his complaints about Europe's unwillingness to help the U.S. with the war and his attacks against Pope Leo XIV have fueled weeks of sharp disagreements over trade and defense cooperation between the two traditionally strong allies.

Rubio also met Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani for talks on the war in Iran and the wider Middle East, Ukraine, the transition in Venezuela and Cuba and Europe-U.S. relations, including the issue of critical minerals, Italy's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The trip began Thursday with Rubio's meeting Leo as part his broader effort to defuse trans-Atlantic tensions. Meloni and Tajani are expected to use the meetings to try to preserve Italy’s strategic partnership with the U.S. while pushing back against Washington's pressure over the Iran conflict.

Trump has criticized both the pope and Italy’s government for opposing the war. Meloni has called the conflict “illegal” and rebuked Trump’s remarks about the pontiff as “unacceptable.”

Trump responded by accusing Meloni of lacking courage and being “negative” on helping the U.S. with the war. Meloni had long been seen as one of Trump's top allies in Europe, but Trump has openly said their relationship has cooled.

The U.S. has announced a decision to pull 5,000 military personnel from Germany and Trump has threatened to withdraw more troops from Italy and Spain over their stance on the war.

Italy, a key logistics hub for U.S. and allied operations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, could see its role affected if troop levels are reduced, raising concerns about NATO’s posture in southern Europe.

Defense cooperation was already tested in late March, when Italy declined to allow U.S. bombers bound for the Middle East to land at Sigonella base in Sicily without parliamentary approval.

Italy's Constitution and treaties lay out the precise ways in which the bases can be used: They allow logistics and training operations within a NATO framework, but generally exclude direct offensive operations, such as bombing, unless specifically authorized.

Meloni and Tajani have repeatedly said Italy doesn't want to participate in the Iran conflict, and that if the U.S. seeks permission to use Italian bases for offensive purposes, any decision must be approved by Parliament, where opposition to the war is strong.

At stake for Rome are both its security partnership with Washington and the economic impact of the war. Meloni has warned the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is driving up energy costs and squeezing household purchasing power, while potential U.S. tariff threats have raised concerns for Italy’s export-driven economy.

Meloni is reeling from a referendum defeat in March and facing domestic opposition to the war, complicating her position.

Since taking office in 2022, Meloni has sought to cast herself as a reliable U.S. ally and a bridge between Washington and Europe, but disputes over Iran and trade — and her recent political setback — have exposed the limits of the role.

At the Vatican, Rubio held a 2½-hour visit Thursday that included meetings with Leo and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, discussing “efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East” and other issues of mutual interest, according to the U.S. State Department.

Both sides stressed that Rubio’s meetings with Leo and the Vatican’s top diplomat underscored strong bilateral ties.

U.S. officials said the discussions highlighted “the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See” and a shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during his two-day visit to Italy and the Vatican, in Rome, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Stefano Rellandini/Pool Photo via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during his two-day visit to Italy and the Vatican, in Rome, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Stefano Rellandini/Pool Photo via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during his two-day visit to Italy and the Vatican, in Rome, Friday, May 8, 2026. (Stefano Rellandini/Pool Photo via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leaves the St. Damasus courtyard after meeting with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin the Vatican, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)

In this handout photo provided by Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, upon his arrival for talks in the pope's private library at the Vatican, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (Vatican Media via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio enters at the St. Damasus courtyard to meet with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin the Vatican, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio leaves the room after speaking to the media in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leaves the St. Damasus courtyard after meeting with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin the Vatican, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)

GENEVA (AP) — Spain has clinched a bonus fifth entry into the Champions League next season, UEFA confirmed Friday, with Real Betis on course to earn the spot through the La Liga standings.

Rayo Vallecano’s win against Strasbourg in the Conference League semifinals Thursday gave Spain an insurmountable edge over Germany in the race for an extra Champions League place.

Since the Champions League was revamped into a 36-team format in 2024, UEFA has awarded bonus entries to the two countries whose teams have the best collective record across the three European competitions in the previous season.

Standings leader England had already clinched the first bonus entry for next season’s Champions League, which is worth tens of millions of euros (dollars) in prize money to that club.

Spain and Germany had been in a tight race for the second spot.

Real Betis is fifth in La Liga with four rounds left and is six points ahead of Celta Vigo in sixth.

Betis played just one season in the Champions League 20 years ago, failing to advance from the group stage behind Liverpool and Chelsea.

The Champions League bonus entries went to Borussia Dortmund of Germany and Bologna of Italy for the 2024-25 season. This campaign it was Newcastle and Villarreal.

England could yet have a record-tying six entries in the next Champions League just as it did this season.

The Europa League winner gets a direct entry to the next Champions League, and Aston Villa will play in the final against Freiburg on May 20 in Istanbul.

Villa is fifth in the Premier League with three rounds left. If coach Unai Emery’s team finishes fifth and win the Europa League, then the sixth-place team in the Premier League will get the UEFA bonus entry. Bournemouth is currently sixth and would be a debutant in Europe.

Last season, Tottenham won the Europa League and entered the Champions League despite placing 17th in the Premier League.

England and Spain also will contest the Conference League final. Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano play for the third-tier title on May 27 in Leipzig, Germany. The winner gets direct entry to the Europa League next season.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Rayo Vallecano players celebrate their victory at the Conference League semifinal second leg soccer match between Strasbourg and Rayo Vallecano, in Strasbourg, eastern France, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonin Utz)

Real Betis players celebrate after scoring during a La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Real Madrid in Seville, Spain, Friday, April 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Betis' Isco passes the ball in front of Real Madrid's Manuel Ángel during a La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Real Madrid in Seville, Spain, Friday, April 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)