NUSA DUA: US President Joe Biden met Italy's new far-right leader Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday, with the pair agreeing to continue support for Ukraine's defence against Russia, the White House said.
The pair held their first meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit on the Indonesian island of Bali, where Russia's invasion of Ukraine has dominated the agenda.
The election of Meloni, Italy's first woman prime minister, raised concerns about whether Rome would continue to back the Western line on support for Kyiv.
But in her maiden speech to parliament Meloni pledged she would support Ukraine, NATO and the EU, as well as Western-led sanctions on Russia.
In a brief readout, the White House said the leaders met to “coordinate responses to a range of global challenges, including those posed by the People’s Republic of China, the climate crisis, and Russia’s use of energy as a weapon.”
“The two leaders also discussed their commitment to continue providing Ukraine the support it needs to defend itself and to holding Russia accountable for its aggression,“ the White House added in a statement. - AFP
