Rishi Sunak and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s NATO ‘love in’ continues

It might be the US and UK who famously share a ‘special relationship’ – but Rishi Sunak seems to have forged a close bond with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni at the NATO summit.

The Prime Minister and his Italian counterpart were spotted sharing a joke for a second day in a row at the defence alliance’s gathering in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Mr Sunak was again pictured laughing as he chatted with Ms Meloni as they attended today’s meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

It could perhaps have been a continuation of a joke they shared last night, ahead of a summit dinner, when Mr Sunak and the Italian PM were also seen in a fit of the giggles.

Mr Sunak was photographed pointing at Ms Meloni’s phone and laughing yesterday evening as she seemed keen to share something on her screen.

The Prime Minister and his Italian counterpart were spotted sharing a joke for a second day in a row at the defence alliance’s gathering

Mr Sunak was again pictured laughing as he chatted with Ms Meloni as they attended today’s meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council

The reason for the PM and Ms Meloni’s amusement last night has yet to be revealed, with a No10 source saying they were unaware of what the two leaders were laughing about.

NATO leaders were joined for Tuesday’s dinner in the Lithuanian capital by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.

But US President Joe Biden skipped the meal with a White House official explaining the 80-year-old had had ‘four full days of official business and is preparing for a big speech tomorrow’.

Ms Meloni became Italy’s first female PM in October as the head of a right-wing coalition.

She took her Brothers of Italy party from a fringe far-right group to Italy’s biggest party in last year’s elections.

Mr Sunak’s jokes with Ms Meloni have not been the only laughs he has shared with a world leader at the NATO summit.

Earlier on Tuesday, during talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, the PM engaged in some Ashes cricket banter.

Rishi Sunak shared a laugh with Giorgia Meloni last night after the Italian Prime Minister appeared to show him something amusing on her phone

Ahead of a dinner at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, the two leaders were photographed in a fit of the giggles

The reason for the PM and Ms Meloni’s amusement has yet to be revealed. A No10 source said they were unaware of what the two leaders were laughing about

Mr Sunak was spotted pointing at Ms Meloni’s phone and laughing as she seemed keen to share something on her screen

Earlier on Tuesday, during talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, the PM engaged in some Ashes cricket banter

With England currently trailing in the Ashes series against Australia, Mr Albanese presented an A4 piece of paper with the ‘2-1’ scoreline as he and Mr Sunak posed for photos.

In response, Mr Sunak brandished a picture of England batsmen Mark Woods and Chris Woakes celebrating after Ben Stokes’s side won the most recent Test match at Headingley on Sunday, which kept their hopes of a series win alive.

But the Australian PM then took his baiting of Mr Sunak up a notch.

He produced a photo of England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow being controversially stumped at the previous match at Lord’s, telling Mr Sunak: ‘I was going to be really provocative.’

Mr Albanese also pretended to mark out a crease with his foot.

This prompted Mr Sunak to refer to Australia’s ‘sandpapergate’ scandal, with the PM shooting back: ‘I’m sorry I didn’t bring my sandpaper with me’.