They enter one at a time through the white and limestone Lecce stone door, typical of the architecture of this corner of Puglia. A few minutes later than scheduled, the world’s greats arrive under the tent set up at the entrance to Borgo Egnazia: to welcome them, dressed in pink, Giorgia Meloni. The Prime Minister is the first to offer her hand Ursula von der Leyen: a warm grip like a smile, to hide all the tension of the moment linked to the game of his reconfirmation as head of the European Commission. But there will be time to talk about this, perhaps during a cigarette break, before the informal dinner on Monday in Brussels among the Twenty-Seven.
After her the president of the EU Council, Charles Michel: Portuguese Antonio Costa is already being talked about as his successor, even if Mario Draghi’s shadow will loom until the end. Then the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which on July 4th will compete with the elections which should see the affirmation of the Labor Party after more than a decade of fasting. Continued Olaf Scholz, which landed only this morning at Grottaglie airport. The Japanese president Fumio Kishida and the Canadian one Justin Trudeau: the only two politically healthy.
Emmanuel Macron he straightens his tie before going onto the stage with a certain discomfort: the news of the agreement on the 50 billion dollar maxi-loan to Ukraine brought forward with little institutional grace must have irritated the tenant of Palazzo Chigi quite a bit. Lastly, after an exhausting 20 minute wait, it arrives Joe Bidenwho tries to make amends by hugging the prime minister instead of shaking her hand.
The first work session, dedicated to «Africa, climate change and development”, begins 20 minutes late. Meloni smilingly greets the guests: «The G7 is not a closed fortress that must defend itself from someone, we are open to the world».
To watch the show from the giant screens set up in the Bari Levante Fair, 60 kilometers away, the approximately 1,500 accredited journalists, struggling with problems with the Wi-Fi network which proceeds in fits and starts, making it decidedly difficult to operate: «We have to give news in real time, it is impossible to work like this», complain the journalists of the agencies. To requests for explanations: «We are intervening on the Tim network», the response.
In the afternoon, the awaited sessions onUkraine, one of which in the presence of Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president will have a face-to-face meeting with Biden in the late afternoon, in which a new security agreement should be signed. Post-bilateral press conference at 7.45pm. Much, too close to the dinner organized at the Castello Svevo in Brindisi by the Presidency of the Republic for 8.30pm. Before dinner, peace must be prepared. (All rights reserved)
Posting time: 06/13/2024 11:44
Last update: 06/13/2024 11:59
