External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar while addressing the Joint Session of the Italian Senate`s External Affairs and Defence Commission and the EU Affairs Commission in Rome, explained that Italy is the oldest link of India with Europe. Dr S Jaishankar said, “Italy is historically among our oldest links with Europe. In recent years, Italy has also played a very, made a very major contribution to strengthening, cooperation with the European Union, as a whole. We have been in the midst of negotiations since 2021 a set of agreements, the most important of which is a free trade agreement with the European Union. We also have, last year, set up, a trade and technology council, with the European Union. The EU only has 2 of these councils, one with the United States and one with India. The fact that the EU, the US, and India are today coordinating and cooperating very closely on technology matters is something which is very, important to recognize.” “We see very frankly very difficult times ahead, very turbulent times ahead. In the last 5 years the impact, on the global economy, certainly, but even on society of COVID has been very, traumatic. There are still many countries and many societies which have not recovered from it. We have seen, that progress in sustainable development goals, in many countries, has been rolled back, and many more countries today are facing, a financial economic crisis, and debt is a very big problem. Trade has been very challenging. We`ve had the conflict in Ukraine. In a globalized world, it has affected every part of the world,” he added. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar embarked his official visit to Portugal and Italy from October 31 to November 3.