She was feted as the “Queen of Europe”, the pragmatic nationalist leader dragging Brussels to the Right on migration while acting as the EU’s bridge to Donald Trump’s White House.

But Giorgia Meloni’s crown has started to slip as Mr Trump’s Ukraine policy forces her to pick sides between the Americans and Europeans.

Until recently a staunch supporter of Ukraine, Ms Meloni has become a thorn in the side of European leaders, dragging her feet as they push for a massive rearmament to deter Russian aggression.

Last week, the Italian premier branded Franco-British plans for a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine “risky, complex and ineffective”.