WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for talks at the White House on Friday as the Democratic administration struggles to convince Republicans in the House of Representatives to pass legislation that would supplement aid to Ukraine and both leaders face political headwinds. At home.
Biden has sought to reassure European leaders that the US will continue to stand by Ukraine even as he has failed to secure an additional foreign aid package that includes $60 billion for Ukraine, along with $35 billion for Israel and Taiwan. The legislation has passed the Senate, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has declined to put it up for a vote in the House of Representatives.
Ahead of Meloni’s visit, White House officials said they have no good answers for allies on finding an end to the standoff with Republicans in the House of Representatives and reopening U.S. aid to Kiev, which is desperately needed is now that Ukraine is trying to fend off Russia’s invasion.
“I cannot provide access to the thinking of Republicans in the House of Representatives at this time, but it is clearly having a demonstrable impact not only on our national security, but also on the security of allies and partners around the world.” , said White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton. said.
Biden, along with top Democrats and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, passionately urged Johnson to take up the foreign aid package at a White House meeting this week, but Johnson responded by saying that Congress must “meet America’s needs first.”
It will be the second meeting between Biden and Meloni in about seven months. Both leaders are struggling with war in the Middle East and Europe and are trying to strengthen their public positions.
Biden, 81, has begun to stage a near-certain rematch in November against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican Party nominee. Biden’s bid for a second term has been complicated by the electorate’s concerns about his age, frustration among some Democrats over his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas and mixed feelings about the state of the U.S. economy.
Polls show that Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party, which came to power in 2022, still enjoys the most support in Italy but has suffered a noticeable decline in the past year. Her bloc suffered a setback this week when the candidate she campaigned for was defeated in regional elections on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.
Meloni’s popularity will be further tested with four more regional elections in 2024 and national elections for Italy’s representatives to the European Parliament in June.
“Meloni and Biden both seem to be in trouble for different reasons, so this meeting can show public opinion that there is a solid relationship with allies considered important,” said Gianluca Pastori, an analyst at the ISPI think tank in Milan.
Meloni’s visit to Washington comes after she traveled to Kiev last week to host a meeting of the Group of Seven leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Leaders from Belgium, Canada and the European Commission joined Meloni in Kiev, with Biden and other leaders joining by video. Italy took over the one-year presidency of the G7 in January.
During her recent visit to Kiev, Meloni reaffirmed Italian support to Ukraine and signed a security cooperation agreement for military and technical assistance until the end of the year. Italy also wants to help Ukraine in the reconstruction of historical monuments.
There was fear among the Biden administration when Meloni came to power as head of Italy’s first far-right government since the end of World War II. But the two have found common ground on the cause of Ukraine, and Biden praised Meloni and Italy for their efforts to support Kiev when she visited Washington in July.
The leaders’ agenda is also expected to include efforts by the US, Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and Italy’s priorities for a G7 presidency.
Biden said earlier this week that he was optimistic that a ceasefire agreement could be reached early next week. But he acknowledged that a future deal may have been postponed after Israeli forces fired Thursday into a large crowd of Palestinians rushing to get food from an aid convoy in Gaza City, witnesses said. More than 100 people were killed.
Meloni responded with “bewilderment and concern” to the incident.
“It is urgent for Israel to determine the dynamics of events and who is responsible,” Meloni said, calling for intensified negotiations to reach a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.
Meloni will travel to Canada on Saturday to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
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Barry reported from Milan. AP writer Seung Min Kim aboard Air Force One contributed reporting.