Military aid to Ukraine, sanctions for Russia, energy policy to break free from the dependence on gas from Moscow. Mario Draghi’s visit to the US, which begins Tuesday morning, May 10 with a meeting at the White House with President Joe Biden, is the first of a head of state or government since the invasion of Ukraine, and is held in the aftermath of an online G7 in which war assistance agreements in Kiev were sealed. The visit generated domestic political fallout – M5S asked for a preventive parliamentary debate, which there is no stratum – which for the moment are confined to more or less threatening statements. Certainly Draghi arrives in Washington with solid leadership in Europe, recognized across the Atlantic in political and economic circles of power. «We must continue to support Ukraine – said President Draghi – and we must go ahead with the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. At the same time, we must make every effort to help reach a ceasefire as soon as possible and to give new impetus to the peace negotiations, ”Draghi told the G7, confirming the line of sending weapons.
“Reaffirming the historic friendship and strong partnership”
Furthermore – it is reported in government circles – “it will be an opportunity to reaffirm the historic friendship and strong partnership between the two countries”. The last meeting between the two leaders was on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rome last October. Before the bilateral event, the two Leaders will release short statements to the press in the Oval Office. As mentioned, we will talk about the coordination with the allies on the measures in support of the Ukrainian people and against the aggression of Russia, a coordination that is constant, in continuity with the regular contacts also maintained within the “Quint”, that is the directorate informal composed of five Western powers, the US and “the big four”, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, and which currently operates as a “Council” of various international organizations such as NATO, the G7 and the G20. In addition, there will be a discussion on global challenges of common interest, on preparations for the G7 and NATO Summits scheduled for June, on cooperation on energy, digital, food and climate change security.
The Atlantic Council award, together with Descalzi (Eni)
On Wednesday 11 May Draghi will go to Congress for a bipartisan meeting with the leadership of the Congress and with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (whom he already met last October in Rome). Finally, on Wednesday evening, the Atlantic Council will award Draghi the Distinguished Leadership Award 2022. The award will be presented by US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, who was a “colleague” of the premier when he was both at the helm of the central banks, the Fed and the ECB. In the same ceremony the CEO will also be awarded. of Eni, Claudio Descalzi, who with Draghi, the Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and the Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani, shares the effort to diversify the sources of natural gas purchase to replace Russian supplies, which up to now have covered 40 % of the requirement.