Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, on the margins of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
The prime ministers discussed a wide range of shared priorities, particularly in the context of the G7. They also discussed the need for coordinated joint action to provide security assurances to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion. They agreed on continuing to support Ukraine’s defence needs and reconstruction efforts, and to hold Russia accountable for its brutal military aggression. The leaders discussed the need to stand strong as rules-based democracies against attempts at economic coercion and interference, including by China.
Acknowledging the deep people-to-people ties between the two countries, the leaders reiterated their commitment to continuing to strengthen opportunities to work together, including via new trade, investment, and innovation partnerships. They also discussed avenues for increased bilateral collaboration in areas such as life sciences, energy, clean tech, and economic security. Prime Minister Trudeau underscored the value of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a vehicle to further increase bilateral trade and investment. The leaders also exchanged views on the importance of protecting and defending human rights, including the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ people. Prime Minister Meloni responded that her government is following court decisions and is not deviating from previous administrations.
The leaders also discussed Prime Minister Meloni’s priorities for Italy’s G7 Presidency in 2024. Prime Minister Trudeau underscored the importance of ambition and unity in addressing threats to democracy, such as disinformation and cyberattacks, and in reforming international financial institutions to improve access to finance for emerging economies. The leaders committed to working closely together in the lead up to Italy’s Presidency, and to coordinate the transition to Canada’s Presidency in 2025.