US President Joe Biden has been forced to skip a Group of Seven leaders’ dinner in Italy as he “struggled” behind the scenes.
A source told Daily Express US: “Biden had to sit down and rest at one point during the day because he was struggling with the heat.”
The President, 81, was spotted in a number of awkward moments during the day which have been viewed thousands of times on social media.
In one clip, he is seen wandering away from the G7 leaders – the likes of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – before being pulled back for a photo.
He was also criticized for stumbling during a speech announcing a 10-year security agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In another awkward moment, Biden asked for a pause as the noise of a chopper flew overhead.
It followed points in which he struggled with his words while unveiling a 10-year security agreement with Kyiv – a nation at war with Russia since February 2022.
Many people watching the speech were baffled by the noise – and questioned Biden’s ability to speak effectively.
aking to X, one person wrote: “What the hell is flying over our President’s head during his speech?”
“President #Biden is stumbling through his G7 speech,” added another.
A third asked: “Is Biden going to make it through the speech? He looks and sounds horrible.”
Thursday’s security arrangement was aimed to send a signal to Russia of American resolve in supporting Kyiv, the White House said.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the security agreement would not commit US troops directly to Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion — a red line drawn by Biden, who’s fearful of being pulled into direct conflict between the nuclear-armed powers.
“We want to demonstrate that the US supports the people of Ukraine, that we stand with them and that we’ll continue to help address their security needs,” Sullivan said, adding “this agreement will show our resolve.”
The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.