Meloni to skip 81st UNGA meet amid dispute with Trump:Says, ‘I am busy’; Italy to miss meeting first time in 15 years

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will not attend this year’s high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), citing a busy schedule. This will be the first time in around 15 years that Italy’s prime minister will not attend the UNGA’s annual high-level meeting. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will represent Italy instead. Meloni’s absence from New York also means she will not have a face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump. Tensions between the two increased at the G7 summit in June. Trump said Meloni had been eager to take a photograph with him. Meloni responded: “I don’t need to beg for it.” Trump and Meloni also differ over the Iran war A difference has also emerged between Trump and Meloni over Iran. Meloni had distanced herself from US military action against Iran. Trump subsequently criticised her publicly. However, security ties between the two countries remain important. Italy is a NATO member, and around 13,000 active US troops are stationed there. The US also has important military bases in Aviano, Naples, Vicenza and Sicily. Trump and Meloni last seen together at G7 Trump and Meloni were last seen together at the G7 summit held in France from June 15 to 17, 2026. The two appeared together several times during the meeting and were also seen sitting on a sofa and speaking for an extended period. Their photographs from the summit drew attention, with some viewing their interactions as a sign that relations were improving despite earlier differences. However, tensions between the two leaders rose again after Trump’s remarks about Meloni. Trump accused of damaging US-Europe ties Meloni’s close aide and Undersecretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, Giovanbattista Fazzolari, criticised Trump’s remarks after the G7 summit. He said Trump was, knowingly or unknowingly, damaging the long-standing relationship between the US and Europe. According to Fazzolari, such remarks had harmed America’s image across Europe, and the US would ultimately have to bear the consequences. Meloni has been a strong Trump supporter According to the BBC, Trump and Meloni were previously considered close allies. Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump’s 2025 inauguration and was seen as a bridge between the European Union and the US. Their differences became more visible during the US strikes on Iran in April. The US wanted to use Italian airports and military bases, but Italy refused. Differences also emerged over Pope Leo, who had called for an end to the Iran war. Trump criticised the appeal, while Meloni opposed Trump’s position. Trump later said he had thought Meloni “had courage”, but no longer felt that way. Modi, Putin and Xi Jinping also skip UNGA Meloni is not the only major leader absent from this year’s UN General Assembly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have also not travelled to New York. Around 130 heads of state and government are attending this year’s UNGA high-level meeting. PM Modi decided not to attend this year’s UNGA. He last attended the meeting in September 2024. In 2025, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed the General Assembly on India’s behalf. Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, while China’s Vice President is attending the meeting. However, Xi Jinping is expected to hold a separate meeting with Trump in Washington this week. ​