New Delhi: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has skipped the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, breaking with a roughly 15-year stretch
in which an Italian prime minister attended the high-level debate. Meloni has cited scheduling pressures, saying she had attended six international summits in three and a half weeks and needed to deal with several dossiers at home.
Italy is still represented at the UNGA by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who has defended the decision and said Rome remains strongly committed to the United Nations. Tajani said the UN remains a ‘fundamental instrument’ for achieving peace and stressed that Italy continues to participate actively in its initiatives.
Why Meloni is skipping the UNGA
Meloni’s office had announced earlier in September that Tajani would represent Italy at the gathering. Italian government sources said the decision was consistent with her earlier explanation that, after several international summits, she needed to focus on domestic matters and other dossiers.
The timing has nevertheless drawn attention because Meloni’s absence means she will avoid another face-to-face encounter with Trump. The two leaders, who once had notably warm ties, have publicly clashed over several issues in recent months.
What happened between Meloni and Trump?
Tensions became more visible after the G7, when Trump claimed Meloni had wanted a photograph with him “so badly”. Meloni rejected the account and said, “Neither I nor Italy ever beg.”
Their differences have also extended to the US military campaign against Iran, with Meloni publicly questioning US military action and its implications for international law.
Trump later criticised Meloni over Italy’s position on the Iran conflict, while another public exchange saw him post ‘RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED’ alongside a picture of the Italian prime minister.
There is no public evidence establishing that Meloni skipped the UNGA specifically to avoid Trump. The official explanation remains her crowded schedule and domestic responsibilities. But the decision has inevitably attracted scrutiny because of the recent friction between the two leaders.
