"I believe that Italy and Germany are united in saying we want more Europe, a stronger Europe, a more efficient Europe," Renzi said at a joint news conference with Merkel. Earlier this week he told a German newspaper Berlin and Paris could not solve Europe`s migrant crisis without him.
The Italian leader, who blasted Merkel at an EU summit in December over several German policies, on Friday stressed their common values.
"We don`t agree on everything naturally - in particular as far as some opinions go in several political areas - but we believe together that fighting unemployment today in Europe means combatting populism. We have the same enemy: populism."
Caught in the crossfire between two anti-euro opposition parties in Rome and wrestling with a struggling economy, Renzi has opened disputes with the EU on migration, budget, banking and energy policy.
Merkel, who said the talks were held "in a good European spirit", stressed the importance of rapidly implementing the EU`s deal with Turkey, saying progress was needed to get a grip on the refugee crisis.
"We spoke about the refugee question of course, on the one hand about the EU-Turkey agenda, which must be implemented urgently because we need progress," she said, adding that this included the planned 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in aid.
Despite being open to providing its share of the aid, which is in exchange for a Turkish commitment to stem the flow of migrants into Europe, Italy has so far blocked it.
Turning to Italy`s drive to get the EU Commission to grant it more fiscal leeway in its 2016 budget, Renzi said Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had been appointed on the condition that EU countries be granted budget flexibility.
"I have not changed my mind on flexibility, I hope that Jean-Claude Juncker has not changed his mind," he said.
More about:
