Macron to visit Italy amid tensions with Meloni over Ukraine - Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Italy on June 3 to discuss a number of key issues with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, including Ukraine, trade and relations with the United States.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Reuters.
The visit comes amid reports of tensions between the leaders of the two countries, which have escalated in recent weeks.
Paris notes that during the talks the parties will touch upon the topic of security guarantees for Ukraine, US tariff policy, an agreement with the Mercosur countries, as well as opportunities for industrial cooperation.
Italian officials, in turn, stressed that the meeting is designed to "lay the foundations for further strengthening relations" between France and Italy. The situation in the Middle East and Libya will also be discussed.
Both countries are concerned about the potential for Russia to increase its presence in eastern Libya, which could give Moscow a strategic advantage in the Mediterranean after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.
In the run-up to the visit, the two leaders had repeatedly criticized each other's actions in the context of Ukraine policy and economic initiatives, creating a backdrop for open diplomatic tension.
