Italian PM Giorgia Meloni lightens the mood with a cigarette quip during chat with Turkey’s Erdogan, as leaders share laughter, at the Gaza Peace Summit.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sparked laughter among fellow world leaders at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt after joking that she would “kill someone” if forced to give up smoking.
The 48-year-old leader made the offhand remark while chatting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has pledged to make Turkey smoke-free. Their light-hearted exchange was captured on camera by Turkey’s Ihlas News Agency.
“You look great. But I have to make you stop smoking,” Erdogan told Meloni, drawing smiles from nearby leaders, including Britain’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
“It’s impossible,” Macron interjected.
“I know, I know,” Meloni replied with a laugh. “I don’t want to kill someone.”
Meloni, who has long been open about her fondness for cigarettes, recently revealed in a memoir that she resumed smoking after quitting 13 years ago. She also wrote that her smoking habit has occasionally served as an unlikely diplomatic bridge, allowing her to bond with other heads of state such as Tunisia’s President Kais Saied.
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The Italian premier’s candid sense of humor stood out during the tense summit, which brought together global leaders to discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza and potential pathways to peace.
Adding to the lively atmosphere, U.S. President Donald Trump — who had addressed Israel’s parliament earlier in the day — made a surprise appearance at the gathering, where he praised Meloni’s leadership and appearance.
“I’m not normally allowed to say it because usually it’s the end of your political career if you say it,” Trump said. “She’s a beautiful young woman! Now, if you use the word beautiful in the United States, that’s the end of your career — but I’ll take my chances!”
Pointing toward Meloni, he added, “You don’t mind being called beautiful, right? Because you are. She’s incredible and very respected in Italy — a very successful politician.”
Meloni, who became Italy’s first female prime minister in October 2022, has maintained a strong rapport with Trump and has positioned herself as a pragmatic figure within Europe’s right-wing politics. Her informal style and occasional blunt humor have helped shape her public persona as both approachable and unapologetically authentic on the global stage.
