Giorgia Meloni and Joe Biden
Meloni relaunches the alliance with Biden: “Common understanding, solid alliance”
With US President Joe Biden “I had a long meeting in which we reaffirmed our solid alliance, the strategic partnership, the deep friendship that unites our countries”. Thus the Prime Minister summarized the conversation with the US leader in the White House speaking at the Italian embassy in Washington. Meloni then specified that numerous international issues were touched upon during the conversation: from Ukraine to Africa, from China to Italian companies. A meeting that went very well, with doubts that turned into friendship, as the Corriere della Sera writes. Even if there are those who point out the absence of a joint press conference at the end of the talks.
As for the war, “I saw President Biden very determined, as I am very determined, which does not mean not seeking negotiating solutions”Meloni said. “As I have said since the beginning of the conflict, I believe that the only way to guarantee the possibility of any diplomatic way out is to support Ukraine”, underlined the prime minister.
Excellent Meloni on China: gets protection from Biden but announcing a visit to Beijing so as not to break with Xi
With US President Joe Biden “we also talked about the Silk Road, China, how we need to guarantee our economic security, sustainable multilateralism and encourage dialogue with Beijing so that it acts responsibly”, Meloni continued, announcing that she has been invited to China and that she will therefore be “one of the next missions”. “The United States has never asked us the question of what Italy should do on the Silk Road. Washington trusts Rome on many issues, even on the way it maintains international relations”, she specified.
According to Repubblica, “the hold on Ukraine and the exit from the Silk Road, when it occurs, will be compensated with advantages in the realignment of the supply chains”. Just what Meloni was looking for, who in any case, without announcing the exit from the Belt and Road and indeed announcing the next visit to China, also protected relations with Beijing.
In Washington, the premier continued, “I also found sharing and the desire to collaborate on our idea of a Mattei plan for Africa, which goes hand in hand with other initiatives launched by President Biden himself”. And on the Tunisia: “The US position seems very open to what we are doing and it wasn’t obvious. The relationship between Tunisia and the IMF is more of a difficult relationship to meet. From Biden I found a lot of support and attention to the initiatives we are taking and the desire to be more present and to lend a hand”. Responding to a question from breaking latest news, Meloni also underlined that Europe “can and must maintain autonomy” with respect to the USA, “absolutely yes”.
Meloni and Biden, “linked destinies”
“Our destinies are inextricably linked with the USA, but interests do not overlap perfectly. For this, Europe needs its own foreign policy. Therefore, Europe can and must have its own autonomy, which is an added value for the whole coalition”, underlined the Prime Minister.
The premier was received in the Oval Office by Biden: “In difficult times – he told the American president – we know who our friends are, after Ukraine the relationship is even more solid”. In their meeting Meloni and Biden “reaffirmed the unshakable alliance, strategic partnership and deep friendship between the United States and Italy”, reads a joint statement released after the meeting. “The ties between Italy and the United States are rooted in history, cultural affinity and economic cooperation. They are founded on shared values and principles – democracy, freedom, respect for human rights – strengthened by the common goal of promoting peace and security, to increase prosperity and advance security, strengthen prosperity and promote sustainability around the world.
“We became friends with Giorgia,” Biden said for his part. After the press conference at the Meloni embassy you went to the ‘cafè Milano’ for a meeting with the Italian community. Instead, this morning you were welcomed to the United States Congress, where you had various institutional meetings with representatives of both the Republican and Democratic parties.
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