Italy secures Kuwait's pledge to keep Q8 fuel prices capped amid trucker unrest

In a high-profile visit to Kuwait, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni negotiated with the emir a promise that Q8 will keep gasoline prices at one outlet level at Italian stations for as long as the government requires, with the possibility of extending the arrangement if the cost-of-living crisis persists. The agreement, announced alongside Eni's own price-cap extension, also includes diesel but does not specify the number of affected pumps.

Transport vice-minister Edoardo Rixi and League leader Matteo Salvini are seeking mechanisms to apply similar caps to the extrarete diesel market, which has recently seen prices rise above the regulated commercial rate. The government also prepared a contingency order enabling police to identify and issue compliance notices to truckers transporting fuel, food or medicines, a measure that helped defuse a planned protest by Campanian drivers.

Meloni thanked the emir for the "concrete signal" of strong bilateral ties, and the summit produced memoranda on broader energy cooperation, including renewable hydrogen, biofuels, electricity storage and critical mineral research. Defense cooperation was also highlighted, with Leonardo signing a letter of intent and a protocol for training Emirati security forces.