“Michelle and I saved the best for the finale,” President Barack Obama said welcoming the Italian premier Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese at the White House. "Italy is one of the biggest allies we have", began the US president who reserved the last state dinner of his presidency for the Italian guest, to seal a deep friendship that Obama wanted to honor by pronouncing the motto "clear agreements and long friendship" in Italian.
After the first formalities, the two leaders discussed for a couple of hours in the living room of the White House, home of the Democratic president for eight years and for a few more weeks. In the press conference at the end of the meeting, which precedes the gala dinner scheduled for the Italian night, there were other words to honey. Obama began by thanking "Italy for the alliance" and addressing “a thought for the population of Amatrice”, recently hit by the earthquake.
“The United States is fortunate to have many allies in the world – continued the US president -, among these one of the best, the most reliable is Italy. Matteo Renzi is part of a new generation of leaders, important for Italy but also for the future of Europe“. Obama then touched on the issue of reforms and the referendum, encouraging Renzi in view of the forthcoming challenges: “Renzi is making important reforms, which however are meeting resistance. There is growth in Italy but it is still weak, a yes vote in the referendum would help”. "In any case, there will be no cataclysms in the event of a No victory", Renzi then added, answering questions from journalists and Obama echoed him again: "I don't want to interfere in the referendum vote but I am rooting for Renzi, and he must remain regardless from the outcome".
The harmony between the two leaders obviously extended to international issues, as later confirmed by the Italian premier himself: "On international issues, the Italian agenda totally coincides with the American one, our commitment alongside the US is continuous". Starting with the fight against terrorism: "Mosul will be the most difficult battle but ISIS will be defeated", Obama reiterated before also speaking of trade relations: "We have agreed to give support to the negotiations for the TTIP, which can help jobs and growth from one side of the Atlantic to the other".
On the issue of migrants, the American president openly sided with Renzi: “A coordinated response is needed on migrants, Italy has saved many lives, I congratulate Renzi and the Italians. AND the prime minister is right to ask Europe to take more responsibility”. The prime minister thanked him by taking the floor, and immediately joking about the Jobs Act: “I have to apologize, it's an expression I copied from Obama, but it's now open source as we said. In Italy he has created 588 thousand jobs, a huge figure for our country ”.
Renzi then paid homage to Obama, who is about to leave after two particularly intense mandates, with the Nobel Peace Prize he won in 2009 to the challenges of the economic crisis and difficult international relations: “While someone chooses hatred, we choose freedom and our values. Obama's legacy will not only be for the US but also for the whole world”. Finally, responding to the request regarding Amatrice, the prime minister recalled the great reaction of the population after the earthquake, inviting Obama “to the places where amatriciana pasta was invented. You will taste it,” Renzi promised.
