Italian PM Warns of Energy Crisis, Airports Already Limiting Jet Fuel Quotas

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ROME – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has acknowledged that if the situation in the Middle East worsens, her country could face an energy shortage. The daily Corriere della Sera reported on Saturday (4/4/2026) the implementation of initial restrictions on jet fuel at four Italian airports, namely in Milan, Venice, Treviso, and Bologna.

“When instability increases in the Gulf countries, it impacts energy costs, the business world, jobs, and ultimately the purchasing power of families,” Meloni said in a video posted on her social media.

Gulf countries play an important role in the global energy market. If production in the region decreases or stops, energy prices will rise for everyone, according to Meloni.

“And if the situation worsens, we could face a situation where we do not have all the energy we need, even in Italy,” she stated.

On Friday and Saturday, Meloni visited Gulf countries that supply around 15 percent of Italy’s oil needs. “I discussed with them how to strengthen cooperation, help stop the escalation, and soon restore freedom of navigation in the routes that are the mainstay of energy, trade, and stability, starting from the Strait of Hormuz,” she explained.

On 28 February 2026, the United States (US) and Israel began launching attacks on targets in Iran, particularly Tehran, which caused damage and civilian casualties. Iran then carried out retaliatory attacks on Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East as a form of self-defence.

The increased tensions in the Persian Gulf region have nearly halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. As a result, fuel prices have risen in most countries.