Tiranë: Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama showcased his showmanship while hosting Europe's leaders amid heavy rain on Friday. Freshly elected for a fourth term, Rama's campaign focused on Albania's ambition to join the EU by 2030, and he celebrated welcoming over 40 leaders, including Italy's Giorgia Meloni and France's Emmanuel Macron. Standing at two meters tall, Rama was a charismatic figure, offering a warm greeting to attendees while twirling a blue umbrella on a red carpet marked by the EPC logo.
In a playful moment, he knelt to greet Meloni and joyfully escorted Ukrainian President Volodyr Zelensky to the venue. His friendly banter also included a humorous jab at the British delegation, suggesting they were responsible for the unexpected rain in Tirana. The European Political Community (EPC) was initiated by Macron in response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, gathering EU nations and 20 additional countries to discuss critical issues like migration and the ongoing war.
Before the serious discussions, Rama expressed pride in hosting such a significant summit, despite Albania being one of the smallest countries, using his stature to show love for Europe and emphasizing the honor of holding the gathering in his nation.
During the European Political Community summit in Tirana, leaders were met with a light-hearted welcome that elicited laughter and smiles, a rarity in European diplomacy. Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania playfully welcomed his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, as she arrived on the bright red carpet, even kneeling in a humorous gesture. Rama also greeted over 40 leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, whom he affectionately referred to as the “Sun king,” while escorting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into the opera house venue.
The unconventional opening featured AI-generated baby portraits of the leaders, displayed on a giant screen, with each declaring, “Welcome to Albania,” which further amused the typically reserved diplomatic crowd. Standing tall at six-foot-seven, Rama emphasized the honor of hosting such a significant summit despite Albania's smaller size.
He humorously blamed the British delegation for the unexpected rain, quipping that scientific proof showed it was not indigenous. This summit, inspired by Macron in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, focused heavily on Ukrainian affairs and broader European cooperation, set against ongoing discussions surrounding migration policy and concurrent meetings between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul.
