Italian Prime Minister Meloni to Skip UN General Assembly Amid Busy Schedule
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Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will not attend the United Nations General Assembly, ending a 15-year pattern of Italian participation, citing a packed agenda and domestic priorities.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced she will not travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly this week, ending a roughly 15-year tradition of Italian leaders taking part in the high-level debate. The decision was confirmed by an Italian government source and attributed to a demanding schedule that included six international summits in the past three and a half weeks and a number of domestic dossiers.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy remains committed to the United Nations, noting the country's involvement in various initiatives and the appointment of an Italian candidate to head the Food and Agriculture Organization. He added that Italy will maintain close attention to the summit despite the prime minister’s absence.
The timing of Meloni’s non-attendance follows recent diplomatic tensions between Italy and the United States, highlighted by public exchanges between Meloni and President Donald Trump over NATO, Iran and other issues. Trump has previously criticized Meloni’s stance on U.S. military actions and alleged that she sought a photograph with him. Meloni responded that Italy does not “beg” for such gestures.
Italy continues to host a significant U.S. military presence, with nearly 13,000 American service members stationed at bases in Vicenza, Aviano, Naples and Sicily. A senior U.S. administration official indicated that President Trump’s agenda includes meetings with other leaders and discussions on Iran with Gulf partners.
Tajani is scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.