Meloni at centre of global diplomacy at Pope Francis’ funeral

At the Vatican, the premier meets Zelensky, Trump and other world leaders, on a day marked by a call for peace and Italy’s big test on the security front

While the world’s powerful gather in Rome to pay their respects to Pope Francis, Giorgia Meloni moves as a protagonist on the international scene. Although she does not appear in the official images of the meeting between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer, the Italian premier does not hide her satisfaction: more than 400,000 faithful and 160 government delegations gathered in prayer for the last farewell to Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

The dialogue between Trump and Zelensky under Meloni’s gaze
The conversation between the American and Ukrainian presidents, which took place in the aisles of St. Peter’s Basilica, was the most important political moment of the day. Trump, a few moments later, stigmatised the Russian bombing of Kiev with a harsh post against Vladimir Putin. Meloni, who crosses paths with Trump and the first lady Melania under the colonnade of St. Peter’s, comments positively on the dialogue between the two leaders: ‘Seeing Trump and Zelensky talking about peace at the funeral of the “Pope of peace” has an enormous significance,’ she entrusts to the Repubblica website.

The meeting at Palazzo Chigi with Zelensky: support for peace efforts
In the afternoon, the premier welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky to Palazzo Chigi. The meeting, which lasted about an hour, reiterated Italian support for President Trump’s efforts for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Meloni expressed condolences for the victims of the Russian attacks and stressed the need for an immediate and concrete ceasefire.

Zelensky, in turn, appreciates Giorgia Meloni’s ‘clear and principled position’, as she writes in X.

A day of meetings: Milei, Orban, Starmer and von der Leyen
The prime minister also meets Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while during the funeral she manages to exchange a brief greeting with Ursula von der Leyen, who also gets a handshake from Trump. An emotional moment was instead had with Argentine President Javier Milei, Bergoglio’s compatriot, with whom Meloni spent a long time, sealing the meeting with lunch at the Ambasciatori Hotel.

The management of public order: an Italian success story
Finally, Meloni emphasised ‘the great commitment’ made by the security system, coordinated by the Civil Protection Department. Police, Armed Forces, and volunteers guaranteed, with professionalism and dedication, the smooth running of a historic day for Italy and the world.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)