World leaders joked about President Donald Trump mixing up Armenia and Albania at a European political summit.
Trump has taken pride in his efforts to strike a preliminary peace deal between longtime rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan, but has confused the names of Armenia and Albania several times when talking about it. At the European Political Community meeting in Copenhagen on Thursday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama joked about the matter to French President Emmanuel Macron and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“You should make an apology … to us because you didn’t congratulate us on the peace deal that President Trump made between Albania and Azerbaijan,” Rama told Macron in a serious tone, gradually cracking a smile as he said it.
Aliyev laughed as a smiling Macron playfully slapped Rama on one cheek before stepping back.
“I am sorry for that,” Macron joked.
PM Edi Rama joked with Macron about Trump's peace deal between "Albania and Azerbaijan."
"You did not congratulate us on the peace deal President Trump made with Albania and Azerbaijan" Rama said.pic.twitter.com/XMD2hakzoo
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Rama is well-known for his hijinks and oddball persona. He has made headlines for appointing the world’s first-ever artificial intelligence Cabinet member, and earlier this year, he knelt in playful submission to greet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Despite his ribbing of Trump over the verbal gaffe, Rama also offered genuine praise to Trump for helping with the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
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“We have been waiting for this progress for some time. It happened thanks to the strong leadership of both heads of state, and also thanks to the final push from the President of the United States. We have to give him credit for that — it is a great thing,” Rama said.
Trump’s mix-up of Armenia and Albania, and occasionally Azerbaijan, has been a source of confusion and frustration for many involved in the peace process. Many Armenians, especially those in the diaspora, have viewed the confusion as an intentional slight against Armenia.
