Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron at Antibes on the French Riviera. This marks their first bilateral summit since a strategic alliance treaty came into force in 2021, elevating Franco-Italian relations.
The talks aim to deepen cooperation in defence, nuclear energy, and space sectors. The French presidency highlighted that “this summit will provide an opportunity to deepen Franco-Italian cooperation in several strategic sectors.”
Relations between Macron and Meloni have been strained due to their differing political stances. Despite this, they have worked to ease tensions.
Following a spat with US President Donald Trump, Meloni’s relationship with Macron has been further complicated. However, both leaders are expected to focus on areas of agreement during the summit, including opposition to EU’s free trade agreement with Mercosur and cooperation in defence systems like SAMP/T for Ukraine.
The signing of a roadmap on nuclear energy and a cooperation agreement on the planned European satellite powerhouse is also anticipated.