Remarks By President Biden and Prime Minister Draghi Of Italy Before Bilateral Meeting & More News Here

Oval Office

2:02 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, Mr. Prime Minister, it’s nice to have you ever right here.  You’ve been an excellent good friend and a fantastic ally.  And it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the White House and have an opportunity to repay a few of the hospitality that you simply — you prolonged to me on the G20 Summit and in Rome.

And I suppose we’re — within the G7, we’re going to be assembly slightly bit later.  On Sunday, we had that assembly.  And we’re going to have a second COVID assembly as effectively. 

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  Yes.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  So, we’re spending a variety of time collectively. 

You’ve been one of many closest allies we’ve had in responding to (inaudible) brutality of Putin.  And I simply assume that your cooperation at — typically at a better price to others to tackle Putin and what’s occurring in Ukraine has been actually unimaginable. 

And you realize, Mr. Prime Minister, Italy and the United States have a protracted historical past of shared bonds and so many — so many Italian Americans who’re so happy with their heritage right here, as you’ve noticed.

Congratulations in your award.  That’s fairly good. 

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  Yeah.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  That’s fairly cool.

And so, welcome.  We have rather a lot to speak about.  And the ground is yours.

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  Thank you.  Thank you.

Let me say that it’s a fantastic pleasure to be with you right here right this moment.  Thanks for this invitation.  Thanks for this magnificent hospitality. 

Our two nations — the ties between our two nations have at all times been very sturdy.  And, if something, this warfare in Ukraine made them stronger.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I agree.

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  If Putin ever thought that he may divide us, he failed.  There’s no query about that.

We stand collectively in condemning the invasion of Ukraine, on sanctioning Russia, and on serving to Ukraine, as President Zelenskyy is asking us to do. 

But I’ve to inform you that in Italy and in Europe now, folks need to put an finish to this massacres — to those massacres, to this violence, this butchery that’s occurring.   And folks take into consideration what can we do to deliver peace.  

We definitely have to make use of any direct, indirec- — oblique channel of communication.  But is that sufficient?  What can we do?

People assume that — not less than they need to take into consideration the potential for bringing a ceasefire and beginning once more some credible negotiations.  That’s the state of affairs proper now.  I believe that we’ve got to assume deeply on methods to handle this.  

We will proceed, you and I, to work on vitality safety —

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Yes, we’ll.

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  — meals safety, particularly, which is now one other concern there.  We’ll speak later about that, what to do. 

And — after which, the opposite factor that I need to say, simply on the opening — after which I don’t assume we’ll focus on this later — however what occurred in Ukraine goes to deliver a drastic change in European Union. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I agree.

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  We’ve at all times been shut.  Now we’re going to be a lot nearer.  And — however I do know I can — I can rely in your help as a real good friend of Europe and of Italy, in fact.  

Thank you, Joe. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, look, and only one — I need to add one factor that.  I consider {that a} sturdy European Union is within the curiosity of the United States.  Granted, that’s competitors, economically, nevertheless it’s good.  It’s good.  

And I joked when the Union was formally shaped, saying that is like — we’ve got a factor known as the “Commerce Clause.”

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  Yeah.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  You go from one state to the opposite —

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  I keep in mind.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  — you don’t should undergo checkpoints.  (Laughs.)  Well, it’s form of Europe’s Commerce Clause.  

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  Yeah.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  And it’s good for everybody.  And the factor that I most recognize about you is that our effort from the very starting to deliver NATO and the EU in lockstep — Putin actually believed he may cut up us.  

PRIME MINISTER DRAGHI:  Yeah.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  And we bought — we’ve — we’ve all stepped up.  

But at any price, I’m delighted you’re right here, anxious to speak to you.  

And watch how they get out of right here with out getting damage.  They truly stroll out of the room with out knocking one another down.

2:08 P.M. EDT 

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