Meloni: the G7 was a success. "On global tax it is now up to the States, Italy is there".
The prime minister at the close of the event in Borga Egnazia, the summit's official location. "If today the peace conference in which Italy is also participating opens in Switzerland, it is because we G7 with our decisive and united support over the past two years have allowed Ukraine not to be invaded".
by Nicola Barone
3' min read
Key points
3' min read
"I cannot but start by saying that it was an honour for me and for Italy as a whole to chair the G7, it was without fear of denial a success". As the curtain falls on the G7 meeting, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, opening the summit's final press conference in Borgo Egnazia, summed up the event. "The final declaration is a wide-ranging and significant document with many commitments in the face of global challenges, concrete commitments concerning issues that are crucial for our future". And he emphasised the 'compactness' of the summit and thanked 'all my colleagues', who were named one by one.
"I cannot thank the Pope enough"
."We experienced an extraordinary day yesterday with the presence of the Holy Father, I will never thank him enough," the Prime Minister remarked as she spoke of a "very valuable point of view" and an "extraordinary message" from Pope Francis.
"Enhanced support for Ukraine"
."The G7 reaffirms its united commitment to defend the international system of rules based on law, endangered with the war of Russian aggression". Although there were those who thought otherwise, 'we intend to continue to support Ukraine and have chosen to strengthen our lines of action with an all-round commitment'. For Meloni, the agreement on the profits of Russian assets was 'not a foregone conclusion', 'to be technically defined in the coming weeks'. With an important underlining. "If today the peace conference in which Italy is also participating opens in Switzerland, it is because we G7 with our decisive and compact support over the past two years have allowed Ukraine not to be invaded. It is worth remembering this always'. More 'a propaganda move than a real one'. The premier thus responded to a question at the G7 press conference on Vladimir Putin's proposals to launch a peace negotiation in Ukraine. "If President Putin's proposal is we are willing to a peace negotiation if Ukraine recognises the invasion of Ukraine and that it surrenders the occupied parts... it does not seem to me particularly effective as a proposal."
"Proud to have proved G7 not a fortress"
."I think it was a very important signal to give, the G7 does not want to be a closed fortress, it does not have to defend itself from something or someone but" it gives a system of work that "wants to offer itself to the world to look for solutions linked to development together. It was important to dismantle that narrative that would have the West against the rest of the world, this approach was confirmed during the Italian presidency and I am proud" to have offered "a completely" different narrative. The delegation of outreach guests was 'the largest'.
"On global tax now up to states, Italy is there"
.At the G7 'we agreed on a strong political commitment to a fairer and more stable international taxation system, the famous global minimum tax, an issue I care about. Yesterday we heard the OECD secretary explain that it is ready to be signed on a technical level. The G7 and the OECD have been working in parallel'. Now it is up to the states, the Prime Minister adds, and 'Italy's will is there and I hope it will be done as soon as possible'.
