Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama on Friday gave a special welcome to his Italian counterpart Georgina Meloni at the European Political Community Summit in Tirana.
When Meloni arrived at the bright red carpet, Rama knelt playfully to the ground, as he often does for his Italian "sister."
While welcoming more than 40 European leaders, Rama also hugged French President Emmanuel Macron with a jovial “Here’s the Sun king,” as the clouds briefly parted.
He also escorted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into the venue — Tirana’s opera house — for talks focused on Ukraine, migration, and broader European cooperation.
A towering figure at six-foot seven-inches, Rama told AFP, “It’s true that I am the tallest among them, but I lead a country that is one of the smallest, and for us it’s already a big honour to host this summit.”
Before the talks began, leaders were greeted with an unconventional welcome: AI-generated baby portraits of themselves — some still sporting facial hair or glasses — projected on a giant screen, each declaring, “Welcome to Albania.” The light-hearted gesture drew laughter and smiles from the typically reserved diplomatic crowd.
Rama also added a humorous jab at the UK, blaming its delegation for the unexpected rain. “There was a suspicion, but it became scientific proof from the European weather forecast institute that the persisting — and not indigenous — rain was brought by the British delegation,” he said.
The summit, the brainchild of Macron following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, brought together EU member states and 20 other European nations.
Ukraine was the dominant issue at the gathering, which took place against the backdrop of ongoing meetings between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul, as well as the ongoing debate over migration policy.
When Meloni arrived at the bright red carpet, Rama knelt playfully to the ground, as he often does for his Italian "sister."
While welcoming more than 40 European leaders, Rama also hugged French President Emmanuel Macron with a jovial “Here’s the Sun king,” as the clouds briefly parted.
He also escorted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into the venue — Tirana’s opera house — for talks focused on Ukraine, migration, and broader European cooperation.
A towering figure at six-foot seven-inches, Rama told AFP, “It’s true that I am the tallest among them, but I lead a country that is one of the smallest, and for us it’s already a big honour to host this summit.”
Before the talks began, leaders were greeted with an unconventional welcome: AI-generated baby portraits of themselves — some still sporting facial hair or glasses — projected on a giant screen, each declaring, “Welcome to Albania.” The light-hearted gesture drew laughter and smiles from the typically reserved diplomatic crowd.
Rama also added a humorous jab at the UK, blaming its delegation for the unexpected rain. “There was a suspicion, but it became scientific proof from the European weather forecast institute that the persisting — and not indigenous — rain was brought by the British delegation,” he said.
The summit, the brainchild of Macron following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, brought together EU member states and 20 other European nations.
Ukraine was the dominant issue at the gathering, which took place against the backdrop of ongoing meetings between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul, as well as the ongoing debate over migration policy.
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