Edi Rama and his friend Emmanuel Macron seem to be in a competition to impress Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The Albanian Prime Minister kneeled down again yesterday, while the French president went further, as he appears to have kissed her 'forcefully'.
The incident took place at the entrance to the Elysee Palace in Paris, where European leaders were gathered for a summit focused on the issue of opening the Strait of Hormuz. A widely circulated video shows Macron waiting for Meloni, who gets out of her vehicle wearing red.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared a rather awkward and unusual hug right in front of the cameras.
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 17, 2026
The video quickly went viral online. pic.twitter.com/NQHnhRmDEt
The French president approaches her and greets her by holding her relatively tightly by the shoulders, as they exchange hugs and kisses on the cheeks that last longer than usual protocol. Meloni's reaction is striking, as she opens her eyes in a prominent manner, while the two then exchange a few words and burst into laughter.
The summit in Paris was also attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while discussions focused on geopolitical developments and energy security related to the Gulf region.
Lini një Përgjigje