Meloni: Schengen survival hinges on defending EU external borders

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni reiterates that preserving the Schengen area requires robust defense of the EU's external borders, signaling continued hardline migration stance. The statement reinforces existing policy direction rather than introducing a new shift, but underscores friction between border security and open internal movement. It matters as it may influence EU migration policy debates and Italy's position ahead of upcoming negotiations.