Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, on Saturday during her visit to Gulf nations aimed at addressing the escalating energy crisis linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. This visit, which started on Friday, marks Meloni's first trip to Saudi Arabia and Qatar since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February. Both leaders discussed the urgent need for de-escalation and emphasized the importance of political dialogue to safeguard energy security in the region. Prior to the conflict, Qatar supplied about 10% of Italy’s gas through liquefied natural gas (LNG), and oil imports from the Middle East accounted for 12% of Italy’s total imports last year. However, recent tensions have delayed 10 LNG cargoes from a Gulf supplier, and Iranian attacks have reduced Qatar's LNG export capacity by 17%. In response, Italy is exploring alternative gas sources, including upcoming shipments from the United States' Golden Pass facility starting in June, while also securing additional supplies from Algeria. A planned visit to Kuwait has been canceled due to security concerns.