Meloni was first asked about the migrant-ship disaster off the coast of Calabria.
“The only way to seriously tackle this matter with humanity is to stop these ships from departing, and for this we need a Europe that does more than just declare its willingness, and instead acts quickly," she said.
"This is the reason I wrote to the European Council and the European Commission, to ask them to immediately ratify what we discussed at the last European Council.
“I want to reiterate my condolences for a tragedy that leaves no one indifferent."
Meloni said the disaster demonstrates what her government has long been saying.
"Among the many falsities I’ve heard in these hours is that these people were shipwrecked because of the government's measures on NGOs, but that route isn’t covered by NGOs …
“The point is that the more people leave the more people are likely to die.”
Italy's leader then responded to criticisms her government is neglecting its citizens in favour of a foreign war.
“I’ve also heard it being said that we don’t have money to spend on Italian people, yet we’re spending money on weapons.
"This is also untrue.
"We do not spend money on weapons to send to Ukraine. We already have weapons that, fortunately, we don’t need.
“I understand all the struggles and doubts of citizens, but I also need to be clear that it’s an illusion to think that if we don’t support Ukraine we’ll have peace.
“Instead we would have an invasion, and that invasion could lead to a war closer to home, this is the situation."
Meloni said she is proud that her country's support of Ukraine also includes its civilian population.
"No one is mentioning that our involvement in Ukraine has also brought people electrical generators.
“People are at risk of dying from the cold, they don’t have light.
"Babies, families, normal people are being assaulted with missiles aimed at their strategic infrastructure in order to crush the population with cold, with hunger, with darkness.”
Reacting to the election of Elly Schlein as the new leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, Meloni was cordial.
“I think it’s a really interesting situation, I called Elly Schlein to give her my personal congratulations,” Meloni said.
“Obviously I’m expecting a very tough opposition, as I myself was tough in opposition.
Meloni said opposing ideas have never concerned or frightened her.
“I heard her [Schlein] say that the Democratic Party will be a problem for my government, but for us democracy has never been a problem, if anything it was a problem for the left.
“For us this challenge, if it is done on the basis of ideas, is positive news.
“I’m definitely ready for the challenge and I wish her well in her work.”
ANSA
