President Joe Biden will not attend the G7 leaders’ dinner at the Svevo castle in Brindisi, hosted by President Sergio Mattarella. The White House confirmed this, stating that the president would have a busy schedule with signing a security agreement with Volodymyr Zelensky and holding a joint press conference with the Ukrainian president. This marks the fourth time Biden has skipped or left an official dinner with world leaders early.
Upon arrival in Brindisi, Biden made an unscheduled stop in Delaware to meet with his son Hunter Biden, who had recently been found guilty of purchasing a weapon while hiding his drug addiction. The dinner with other heads of state and government will proceed without Biden at the Swabian castle in Brindisi.
The castle has a rich history dating back to the Byzantine and Norman eras, but is most commonly associated with Frederick II of Swabia and later underwent expansions by Charles I of Anjou and Ferdinand I of Naples. During World War II, the castle served as the seat of the Italian government when Brindisi briefly became the capital of the country. It played a crucial role in issuing important measures such as declaring war on Germany and restoring freedom of the press.
Since 1971, the San Marco Marine Brigade has been based in Brindisi, utilizing the castle as its main base. The bond between the city and the Brigade extends beyond military operations to collaborations in various sectors including civil, social, and healthcare fields.
