Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said the European Union might collapse as a project unless it acts decisively to help countries worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
Italy has been pushing for a co-ordinated economic response from the EU by allowing counties to share debt, but the proposal is opposed by Germany and The Netherlands.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Conte said the scale of the problem should not be underestimated. Italian banks especially face a torrid time as they have the highest exposure to small businesses in Europe, including already struggling firms that may slide into default in the harsh recession expected to follow the pandemic.