French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Paris on Tuesday, according to the French presidency. The meeting aims to address a series of disputes that have strained the relationship between the two countries since Meloni assumed leadership of Italy’s government last year.
Macron, a centrist leader who sees himself as a defender against the far-right, and Meloni, who leads Italy’s most far-right coalition since World War II, do not naturally align politically.
However, in 2021, Macron had signed a significant bilateral cooperation treaty with Meloni’s predecessor Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, with whom he enjoyed a close political rapport.
During the talks, Macron and Meloni will focus on implementing the treaty and preparing for upcoming EU and NATO summits scheduled for this month and July.
The discussions aim to pave the way for improved cooperation and understanding between France and Italy, despite their differing political ideologies.