The president of the European Commission has offered Italy a “heartfelt apology” from the EU for not helping out at the start of the coronavirus crisis.

Ursula von der Leyen said it was important to face the truth “about everything” to beat a pandemic of this size.

She said Europe had to be honest about “the numbers, the science, the outlook, but also about our own actions”.

“It is true that no one was really ready for this,” she said in a speech to the European parliament. “It is also true that too many were not there in time when Italy needed a helping hand at the very beginning.”

“And yes, for that, it is right that Europe as a whole offers a heartfelt apology.”

Luigi di Maio, Italy’s foreign minister, said: “The EU’s apology to Italy is an important gesture of the truth.”

Italy was the first EU country to go into lockdown on 10 March in a bid to tackle its escalating number of coronavirus cases.

More than 21,600 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Italy as of Thursday – the highest death toll for any European country to date.

Ms von der Leyen added: “The truth is too, that it did not take long that everyone realised that we we must protect each other to protect ourselves.”

She praised instances of solidarity, including medical supplies being sent across EU countries and patients being transferred across European borders.

Germany has taken in coronavirus patients from France and Italy for treatment during the pandemic to ease pressure on hospitals, while the EU has also launched a joint scheme to buy protective equipment.

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“Europe has now become the world’s beating heart of solidarity,” Ms von der Leyen said.

Italy has been one of the world’s worst-hit countries by Covid-19 and has been in lockdown for over a month over the virus, with people only allowed outside if it is essential.

All non-essential businesses have been closed and public gatherings banned as authorities work to limit the spread of the disease.

The government has promised €400m (£348m) in aid – including the handing out of food coupons – to help the poorest in the country deal with the financial blow of coronavirus and the nationwide quarantine.