President Biden turned to an unlikely ally Friday in his push to shore up support for Ukraine’s war effort as U.S. aid falters, saying during a visit to the prime minister’s White House Italian far-right that the two leaders “support each other” and “support Ukraine.”
The warm tone, which is a striking departure from Mr. Biden’s assessment of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni upon her election, has extended to a number of foreign policy fronts, as as leaders sought to present themselves as united on issues such as tackling global migration and prevention. a wider war in the Middle East.
“As you said when we first met here at the Oval, Giorgia, we have each other’s backs,” Mr. Biden said. “We do, and you have demonstrated it since you took office.”
But Mr. Biden emphasized their unity in kyiv’s efforts to repel an invasion from President Vladimir V. Putin’s Russia, drawing a contrast with congressional conservatives. “We also support Ukraine,” Mr. Biden said. “That’s why I urge the House of Representatives to pass legislation” that would send billions of dollars to fund the war effort.
The meeting intensified Mr. Biden’s all-out assault to push military aid to stalled Ukraine through a reluctant Congress. He called a meeting this week in which he sought to push Speaker Mike Johnson to allow a vote on the aid. He warned that divisions over aid are a gift to Russia. And he used meetings with European officials this year to not only ensure a united front against the Russian invasion, but also to put pressure on Congress.
In Ms. Meloni, Mr. Biden found a surprisingly close kindred spirit.
The Italian prime minister said Friday that as president of the Group of Seven, she was focused on “defending freedom and building peace in Ukraine.”
After being elected in 2022, Ms. Meloni distanced herself from the most Russia-friendly elements of her coalition, and Italy recently agreed to sign a security deal with Ukraine to help Ukraine’s defense industry. Kiev.
Mr Biden’s embrace of Ms Meloni came as a surprise after he expressed concern for democracy when she came to power. His party, the Brothers of Italy, has its 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 United States Conservative Political Action Conference.
“She comes from the European far right and her coalition includes influential voices who are much more pro-Russian and sympathetic to Putin than the European mainstream. Yet she bucked this trend and placed Italy firmly in the transatlantic camp committed to supporting Ukraine,” said Charles A. Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and European adviser to the National Security Council of the Obama administration.
While she has championed other far-right causes, such as anti-LGBTQ policies, in Italy, Mr. Biden appeared content to put those initiatives aside to secure an ally on critical issues of foreign politic.
Ms. Meloni could also benefit from the global attention that comes with a visit to the Oval Office, Mr. Kupchan said, especially as she seeks to convince her own voters of the importance of defending Ukraine.
“The domestic debate in Italy is, I would say, 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, a driver of global migration, particularly from North Africa. Mr. Biden also recently made combating illegal immigration a central goal of his administration. Just the day before meeting Ms. Meloni, he traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to push Congress to pass sweeping changes there.
