07.07.2026 21:51
The last leader to attend the official dinner at the Presidential Complex within the scope of the NATO Summit in Ankara was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Greeted by Cevdet Yılmaz, Meloni dazzled in an elegant black suit and a sparkling necklace. Having recently been in the spotlight due to the "dismissal decision" tension with Trump on social media, Meloni's late arrival at the dinner did not come as a surprise and was interpreted as a diplomatic move. Through this timing, Meloni managed to avoid an early face-to-face encounter with Trump.
Hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leaders continued to arrive at the official dinner held at the Presidential Complex within the scope of the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni being the last leader to arrive. Meloni was welcomed at the Presidential Complex by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.
LEADERS GATHER AT THE COMPLEX
On the first day of the NATO Summit hosted by Ankara, President Erdoğan and his wife Emine Erdoğan held an official dinner at the Presidential Complex in honor of the heads of state and government and their spouses. As many leaders arrived at the Complex one after another within the scope of the summit, the convoy of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was the last to reach the Presidential Complex.
MAGNIFICENT WELCOME WITH MEHTER MARCH, HER ELEGANCE DAZZLED
A magnificent welcome was held for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the official ceremony area upon her arrival at the Complex. As Meloni stepped out of the vehicle and walked on the blue carpet, the Mehter March played by the military band left its mark on the ceremony. The moments when Meloni proceeded toward the building accompanied by mehter rhythms drew great attention.
Dazzling with her elegance at the summit gathering, the Italian Prime Minister opted for an elegant black jacket-pantsuit for the ceremony. Leaving her hair natural and open, Meloni completed her style with a large and sparkling necklace around her neck, becoming one of the most eye-catching figures of the night.
IN ANKARA FOR THE NATO SUMMIT
Meloni arrived in Ankara to attend the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government hosted by President Erdoğan. The summit is expected to address many critical topics, including increasing defense expenditures, NATO's deterrent capacity, support for Ukraine, and European security.
PRIME MINISTER OF ITALY SINCE 2022
Giorgia Meloni assumed the office of Italian Prime Minister on October 22, 2022, as the leader of the right-wing coalition government formed after the general elections held on September 25, 2022. As the leader of the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia) party, Meloni holds the title of being the first female politician to serve as prime minister in the country's history.
BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH ERDOĞAN ALSO EXPECTED
Within the scope of the NATO Summit, leaders are also planned to hold bilateral meetings in addition to the official program. President Erdoğan is expected to hold meetings with Meloni to discuss defense industry cooperation, Türkiye-Italy relations, European security, and regional developments.
HAD A SPAT WITH TRUMP
Another factor making this magnificent welcome at the summit even more remarkable is the recent harsh social media tension between Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump.
The waters are not calming in the dispute between the two leaders, which started with Trump's claim that "Meloni begged to take a photo with me." Most recently, Trump shared a photo on his social media account showing the Italian Prime Minister shaking hands with him, adding the note "A restraining order is needed."
Following this extraordinary spat, which resonated widely in the global press, the stance the two leaders will display at the summit in Ankara and how the cold winds between them will affect bilateral contacts have become a matter of great curiosity in international circles.