President Biden turned to an unlikely ally on Friday in his bid to drum up support for Ukraine's war effort as U.S. aid stalls, declaring during a visit to the White House by Italy's far-right prime minister that the two leaders ” have each other’s backs” and “Keep Ukraine’s back free.”
The warm tone, a striking departure from Mr. Biden's assessment of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni when she was elected, extended to a number of foreign policy fronts as the leaders sought to find common ground on issues such as managing global migration and trying to contain it prevent a major war in the Middle East from being portrayed as united.
“As you said when we first met here at the Oval, Giorgia, that we have each other’s backs,” Mr. Biden said. “That’s what we do, and you’ve proven that from the moment you took office.”
But Mr. Biden emphasized their unity over Kiev's efforts to stave off an invasion from President Vladimir V. Putin's Russia, creating a contrast with conservatives in Congress. “We also support Ukraine,” Mr. Biden said. “That is why I am calling on the House of Representatives to pass legislation” that would provide billions of dollars to fund the war effort.
The meeting intensified Mr. Biden's sweeping push to push stalled military aid to Ukraine through a reluctant Congress. He called a meeting this week to urge Speaker Mike Johnson to allow a vote on aid. He warned that the disagreement over development aid was a gift to Russia. And he has used meetings with European officials this year not only to ensure a united front against the Russian invasion but also to put pressure on Congress.
In Ms. Meloni, Mr. Biden has found a surprisingly kindred spirit.
The Italian prime minister said on Friday that as leader of the G7 countries, her aim was to “defend freedom and create peace for Ukraine”.
After her election in 2022, Ms. Meloni has shifted away from the most Russia-friendly elements of her coalition, and Italy recently agreed to sign a security deal with Ukraine to support Kiev's defense industry.
Mr Biden's embrace of Ms Meloni was a surprise after he expressed concern for democracy as she came to power. Their party, the Brothers of Italy, has roots in the neo-fascist factions that emerged after World War II. She drew comparisons to former President Donald J. Trump after speaking at the 2022 Conservative Political Action Conference in the United States.
“She comes from Europe's extreme right, and in her coalition there are influential voices that are much more pro-Russian and more sympathetic to Putin than the European mainstream. Still, it has bucked that trend and placed Italy firmly in the transatlantic camp, to which it remains committed to supporting Ukraine, said Charles A. Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and Europe adviser on the Obama administration's National Security Council.
While she has pushed other far-right causes in Italy, such as anti-LGBTQ policies, Mr. Biden appeared content to put those moves aside to secure an ally on critical foreign policy issues.
Ms. Meloni could also benefit from the global attention that a visit to the Oval Office brings, Mr. Kupchan said, especially as she tries to convince her own voters of the importance of defending Ukraine.
“The domestic political debate in Italy is, I think, more skeptical about aid to Ukraine than in most other countries,” Mr. Kupchan said.
Ms. Meloni also highlighted the need to discuss strategies to combat human trafficking, which drives global migration, particularly from North Africa. Mr. Biden has also recently made combating illegal migration a key focus of his administration. Just a day before his meeting with Ms. Meloni, he traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to urge Congress to pass sweeping changes there.