German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, February 3, 2023. With Scholz from the centre-left Social Democrats and Meloni from the rightist Brothers of Italy, the two leaders and their governments make for unlikely allies. These include the construction of a pipeline to transport gas and hydrogen between the two countries and approaches to tackle illegal migration. The German stance on illegal migration has converged more with the Italian one. In the plan, Berlin and Rome pledge to enhance regular dialogue - for example through meetings of their defence and foreign ministers - and coordinate more closely on key policies in general.

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Persons: Olaf Scholz, Giorgia Meloni, Christian Mang, Giorgia, Scholz, Meloni, India's, Angelo Amante, Andreas Rinke, Sarah Marsh, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Italian, Social Democrats, Meloni, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, BERLIN, Italy, Europe, Ukraine, Albania, Rome, France