Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed European leaders on Friday with his usual flair, despite heavy rain. He greeted Italy’s Giorgia Meloni with a kneel and gave France’s Emmanuel Macron a friendly hug.
Rama had just won a fourth term in office after promising to lead Albania into the European Union by 2030. He was clearly happy to host the leaders and proud of his big election victory.
PM Edi Rama Kneels to Welcome Meloni in Viral Moment
A video of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama greeting Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has gone viral on social media. In the video, he is seen kneeling on one knee and folding his hands to welcome her while hosting European leaders on Friday.
Have a look at the video:
Giorgia Meloni truly commands the utmost respect of world leaders. This is quite the sight to see. pic.twitter.com/xBp3d0Qi7j
— Joey Mannarino 🇺🇸 (@JoeyMannarinoUS) May 16, 2025
He then keeps his hands folded waiting for Meloni to cross the carpet. Following this, the Albanian leader hugs the Italian PM and features a big smile to welcome her to the European Political Community (EPC) summit.
“Giorgia Meloni truly commands the utmost respect of world leaders. This is quite the sight to see,” Joey Mannarino wrote on X. The video captures Edi Rama standing on one side of a red carpet holding an umbrella amid rain. As Meloni approaches him, the Albanian PM gently puts down the umbrella on the ground while kneeling on one knee.
Not just Meloni, other videos on social media show how Rama gripped France’s Emmanuel Macron in a bro hug while greeting him.
Public Reactions Pour In as PM Edi Rama’s Gesture Goes Viral
