Sánchez conveys his “solidarity” to Meloni after Trump’s offensive remarks against her

Eduardo González Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has expressed his solidarity with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following President Donald Trump's televised remarks in which he claimed that the Italian leader had "begged" him to take a photo together at the recent G7 summit—claims that Meloni herself has described as "completely fabricated." Sánchez met with Meloni in Brussels on Thursday, on the sidelines of the European Council meeting, as Sánchez was participating in an informal meeting of the Friends of Cohesion group, organized by Romanian President Nicușor Dan and Meloni herself. During the press conference following the European Council meeting, held Thursday and Friday in Brussels, Sánchez expressed his full solidarity with Meloni regarding "this attack, which is neither political nor personal; I really don't know how to describe it." According to the Prime Minister, this solidarity was conveyed not only “publicly” but also “privately at the European Council.” “I’m sure she’s happy I spoke to her! I didn’t have to! I don’t know what to say! She begged me to take a picture with her! She really wanted a picture with me. I wouldn’t have agreed, but I felt sorry for her!” Trump told an Italian television network, referring to Meloni. As a result, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned visit to the United States on June 21 and 22 in protest against these “grave and offensive words from President Trump toward Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which offend all of Italy.” The Prime Minister herself declared that Donald Trump’s statements “are completely fabricated.” “Neither I nor Italy ever begged,” she posted on social media. “I don’t know why the President of the United States behaves this way with his allies. Moreover, it’s not the first time it’s happened,” she continued. “I can only say that I regret he doesn’t show the same resolve with the enemies of the West, with the enemies of the United States, with leaders with whom he is much more accommodating,” she added. Migration On another note, Sánchez made no mention of the alleged discussion he had with Meloni regarding the issue of migration, after some sources indicated that, during the meeting, the Italian representatives had criticized him for the regularization of migrants in Spain. The Italian Prime Minister has clearly expressed her support for the externalization of migration policy through the creation of detention and deportation centers in third countries. According to the Prime Minister, this is “a necessary debate that is taking place in all European capitals, and will also be at the European level.” “Spain has been unequivocal from the beginning: we believe it will not bring any solution, that it is an absolutely ineffective response, a smokescreen, if you will,” he asserted. Meeting with Meloni The meeting with Meloni took place three weeks after he was not received by his Italian counterpart during his visit to Rome due to “scheduling” issues. Specifically, Pedro Sánchez visited the Italian capital on May 26 and 27, which included his participation in a high-level event on food security, coinciding with Nutrition Week, and an audience with Pope Leo XIV, a few days before his apostolic visit to Spain. According to sources at Moncloa Palace who spoke to The Diplomat, both sides had tried to arrange a meeting between Sánchez and Meloni “until the last minute,” but it was ultimately not possible due to “scheduling” problems. They agreed to try again the next time their two leaders were in the same place. Until this Thursday, the only bilateral meeting between Sánchez and Meloni had taken place in Rome in April 2023, during a European tour in preparation for Spain's Presidency of the Council of the EU, which it assumed on July 1 of that year. In that meeting, the two leaders attempted to overcome their significant differences on migration and agreed on the need for a European policy that "focuses less on the internal dimension" and "more on the external dimension," as well as on cooperation and collaboration with countries of origin and transit in North Africa. Migration is one of the issues that has generated the most disagreement between the current governments of Spain and Italy.

Related Content

Sheinbaum hopes her meeting with the King will allow them to "smooth over differences and achieve something more"

Sánchez: “Europe will not be a geoeconomic power if it lacks the financial muscle to be one”

The Italian Embassy Brings Together Borrell and Cremades to Discuss the Rule of Law

The Congress approves the Treaty of Friendship with France, which continues to face opposition from the PP

South African Embassy Mourns the Passing of Abdullah Ibrahim