The G7 Summit is underway in Italy and the top world leaders have already reached the country. Italian PM Gioria Meloni today greeted all the G7 members on the inaugural day of the summit, video of which was shared online. The two-day G7 Summit is attended by several world leaders, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Upon his arrival, Sunak was warmly welcomed by Meloni, with their greetings captured in viral photos and videos.
The video clip shows Sunak approaching Meloni, who greets him with a hug and a kiss. They share a light-hearted moment, laughing and chatting before posing for a photograph and continuing their conversation.
#WATCH | Borgo Egnazia: Italian PM Giorgia Meloni receives United Kingdom PM Rishi Sunak, as he arrives for the 50th G7 Summit.
(Video Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/fpGFlnDZ2r — ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2024
However, the interaction sparked reactions online, with some noting an awkward moment during the hug and kiss. One social media user commented, “Rishi Sunak being greeted by Giorgia Meloni at the G7 looked like he went in for a kiss, but she pulled back. It gave off a ‘eurgh, smelly breath’ vibe.”
Another remarked, “Rishi Sunak greets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the welcome ceremony on the first day of the 50th G7 summit.”
A third user simply advised, “Don’t lean in, Rishi!”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also arrived in Italy’s Apulia to attend the G7 Summit on the invite of Giorgia Meloni. While India is not a member of the G7, it has been invited to the event as an outreach country. This marks PM Modi’s first trip abroad after assuming office for the third consecutive term.
“PM @narendramodi touches down at Brindisi airport in Apulia, Italy. Agenda includes participation in the Outreach session of the G7 Summit & substantive interactions with the global leaders on the sidelines. An action-packed day awaits!” the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, wrote in a post on X.