Italy in favour of Saudi Arabia joining GCAP jet deal

Italy is in favour of Saudi Arabia joining the GCAP fighter jet programme, which currently involves Italy, Britain and Japan, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday.

Meloni, who was in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, said it would take time to open up the multi-billion-euro programme to a fourth nation.

"We are in favour of the Saudis entering, but clearly this... will not be immediate," Meloni said, speaking during a visit in Bahrain, adding details of the project still needed to be worked out between the three founding nations.