Pictures have emerged revealing a "special relationship" between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, a relationship that may have less than three weeks left, should the Conservative Party lose the upcoming elections on July 4 in Britain, with polls indicating a likely victory for the Labour Party.
What happened to British Prime Minister Sunak today? He shook hands with Italian Prime Minister Meloni in a suspicious manner at the G7 meeting and suddenly changed his behavior upon seeing his Italian counterpart, attempting to lean in to kiss her, but she quickly pulled away!
The images selected by the British newspaper "The Telegraph" from their archives are evidently "harmonious" and confirm that despite the political differences between Meloni and Sunak, they "feel a clear comfort in each other’s company," according to the newspaper's report, which mentioned that their first meeting was in 2022, while the latest occurred at the G7 summit that began yesterday in Puglia, Italy, overlooking the Adriatic Sea, concluding on Sunday.
### Shared Humor and Common Ground
Both prime ministers have much in common, having come to power within three days of each other and being of a similar age, with Meloni being 47 years old, while Sunak is three years younger. Their rapport began at their first meeting, which took place during the COP27 climate summit in Egypt in 2022, where they found common ground discussing plans to address illegal immigration and the war in Ukraine, appearing to share not just humor but also similar career paths.
However, their backgrounds could not be more different. Sunak attended a public school and then worked in investment banking before marrying the daughter of a billionaire, while Meloni is a single mother raised in a working-class neighborhood in Rome after her father left the family.
In 2023, she praised Sunak during a visit to his office in London, commending his strategy on illegal immigration, saying he was "doing very well," and agreed with his approach. Sunak expressed gratitude towards her, especially since he does not support the European Union's plan to send migrants to Rwanda, a position that is in contrast with Italy's standing in the EU, where Meloni remains a prominent member.
### A New Beginning
Their cordial working relationship signifies a "new beginning" for cooperation between their countries. At the first G7 summit attended by the two prime ministers, they were once again seen smiling together in Hiroshima, Japan, where Meloni had to cut her visit short due to floods in Emilia-Romagna, returning to coordinate the response.
In July, they were caught laughing while looking at something on her phone during a NATO summit, where Sunak spoke of their "friendship," and commentators in both the UK and Italy began discussing the development of their own version of a special relationship.
Two months later, the leaders joined a campaign to eliminate illegal immigration during the G20 summit in New Delhi, where Sunak suggested that European leaders are showing "increased interest" in adopting the Rwanda model. She promised to prevent migrant boats from crossing the Mediterranean Sea, while Sunak vowed to stop small boats from crossing the English Channel, stating that they had "talked a lot" about how to collaborate on this issue, as they were seen engrossed in deep conversation over drinks outdoors.
Meloni helped save Sunak from embarrassment by appearing with him at the AI summit at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, the only G7 leader to do so. While US President Joe Biden sent Vice President Kamala Harris, and notable leaders like Justin Trudeau, Emmanuel Macron, and Olaf Scholz were absent, Meloni stood alongside Sunak for a "family photo" with attendees to lend a serious tone to the event, expressing her pride in her friendship with him and stating, "Your priorities are also my priorities."
