U.S. President Joe Biden is set to welcome Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House today, Thursday. It is expected that the war in Ukraine and Italy's relations with China will be among the key topics on the agenda. Meloni is also expected to meet with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy today. A White House spokesperson stated on Wednesday that Biden shares a "good relationship" with Meloni, emphasizing that the visit is an opportunity to reaffirm the strong partnership between the two countries, including the billions of dollars in assistance provided by the West to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.
This marks Meloni's first visit to Washington at a time when she is preparing to make a decision regarding her country’s membership in China's Belt and Road Initiative, which Washington is working to counter. Italy became the first and only G7 country to join the Chinese infrastructure initiative in 2019. Opponents argue that this partnership would enable China to access sensitive technologies and vital infrastructure. It is believed to be highly unlikely that Italy will renew its agreement with China when it expires in March 2024. In May, Meloni stated that it is possible to maintain good relations with Beijing without being part of the initiative.
Meloni, who is the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister in Italy, took office last October. She aims to play a significant role on the international stage while charting her country’s presidency of the G7 in 2024. Meloni and her right-wing coalition hold positions that contrast with those of Biden on several issues. Biden seized the opportunity presented by the results of last year's Italian elections to warn liberals of the risks facing democracies worldwide.
