ATHENS

The EU should show solidarity with Italy as the country grapples to manage an increase in the arrival of migrants and refugees to its southern shores, the EU's foreign policy chief said on Saturday.

In an interview with Radio France International, Josep Borrell said “We must show all our solidarity with Italy in a difficult moment.”

"The European Union will stand by Italy," he added.

Borrell also underscored "the need for border control with policies that go beyond security measures and agreements with countries of origin and transit that allow us to receive the migration we need on a regular basis and also ensure the deportation of illegal migrants.”

On Friday, Borrell, in an interview with the British daily Guardian, warned that the EU is grappling with a deepening divide over migration policies, which could potentially threaten the cohesion of the bloc.

The number of migrants landed in Italy so far this year has reached over 127,000 – more than double that of the same period in 2022. The majority have set off from Tunisia, where in July, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and EU Commission head Ursula von der Leyen​​​​​​​ signed a controversial deal to stem irregular migration.