July 27 (UPI) — President Joe Biden will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Thursday to reaffirm relations and seek increased cooperation on matters like climate change, military cooperation, and support for Ukraine in the ongoing war against Russia.
The leaders will discuss shared interests, regional security challenges, and immigration concerns in North Africa, as well as their expanding coordination to deter China, according to John Kirby, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, who briefed the media Wednesday on the upcoming talks.
Meloni’s sit-down with Biden was seen as critical as Italy was preparing to take over leadership of the G7 in 2024 — putting a far-right populist and national conservative at the helm of the international order for the first time.
Meloni, leader of the fascist-leaning Brothers of Italy, took office last fall following the resignation of former Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who had served for just over a year.
Her sudden rise to power triggered concerns inside the European Union, with member nations fearing the Italian government was again becoming destabilized after decades of political upheaval.
After she was elected, Biden also warned Italy against authoritarianism due to Meloni’s far-right political leanings, although later meetings with Meloni were said to show promise that the leaders could find common ground despite their political differences.
While Meloni has expressed her strong commitment to supporting Ukraine, NATO and Europe, she is also known for opposing African immigration and pursuing an otherwise isolationist agenda for Italy. At the same time, Biden has vowed to visit Africa after positive meetings with African leaders late last year.
Unlike Italy, the United States has sought to expand ties on the continent as China and Russia were expanding their own influence.
Meloni’s government has increasingly cracked down on LGBTQ rights throughout the country, while Kirby would not say whether Biden planned to bring up human and civil rights during his conversation with Meloni.
Despite deeply divergent political beliefs, Biden and Meloni have seemingly developed a good working relationship over the past year as they crossed paths in Bali at the G20 Summit, in Hiroshima at the G7 Summit, and most recently at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
“He has a good relationship with Prime Minister Meloni, and he has enjoyed working with her,” Kirby said Wednesday. “They get along quite well, particularly on issues of foreign policy. And again, the president is looking forward to this visit.”
Kirby wouldn’t provide any specifics about what the high-stakes discussion might cover, saying, “I’m not going to get ahead of the discussion,” however the White House did plan to provide a full readout from Thursday’s meeting later in the day.
