Over the course of nearly twenty years of commitment, our Nation has borne a cost that cannot be disputed: 53 Italian soldiers fallen and over 700 wounded while engaged in combat operations, security missions, and training programs for Afghan forces.

For this reason, statements that minimize the contribution of NATO countries in Afghanistan are unacceptable, especially if they come from an allied Nation.

Italy and the United States are bound by a solid friendship, founded on a shared community of values and historical collaboration, which is even more necessary in the face of the many current challenges.

But friendship requires respect, a fundamental condition for continuing to ensure the solidarity at the heart of the Atlantic Alliance.

An individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

The officers attempted to disarm this individual, but the armed suspect reacted violently. Fearing for his life and for the lives of his fellow officers around him, an agent fired defensive shots.

This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage and kill law enforcement.

In Minneapolis, Governor Walz and Mayor Fry, they instead choose violence.

They instead choose to encourage the destruction of their city and the crime against their people.

It appears that they want this lawlessness to continue. It appears that they want chaos to distract from the theft and the fraud and the corruption of their city.

The Minnesota governor and the Minneapolis mayor need to take a long, hard look in the mirror.

They need to evaluate their rhetoric, their conversations, and their encouragement of such violence against our citizens and our law enforcement officers.

This individual who came with weapons and ammunition to stop a law enforcement operation of federal law enforcement officers committed an act of domestic terrorism.

That's the facts.

This individual showed up to impede a law enforcement operation and assaulted our officers.

They responded according to their training and took action to defend the officer's life and those of the public around him.

I don't know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign. This is a violent riot when you have someone showing up with weapons and are using them to assault law enforcement officers.

On Friday and Saturday, the United States coordinated a trilateral meeting alongside Ukraine and Russia, graciously hosted by the United Arab Emirates.

Talks were very constructive, and plans were made to continue conversations next week in Abu Dhabi.

President Trump and his entire team are dedicated to bringing peace to this war.