Macron to host Meloni in Antibes as France and Italy seek warmer ties

Meloni, one of Europe's most prominent right-wing leaders, is due to arrive on the French Riviera on Thursday for her first bilateral summit with Macron. The meeting comes at a delicate moment for the Italian premier, shortly after a public fallout with US President Donald Trump, and at a time when France and Italy are looking to deepen cooperation on some of Europe's most pressing strategic challenges.

The talks will be held at the Villa Eilenroc, a striking 19th-century residence overlooking the Mediterranean. It will be the first such meeting since a treaty on a strategic alliance between France and Italy came into force in 2021, putting bilateral relations on a more ambitious footing and bringing them closer to the level of cooperation long associated with France and Germany.

The French presidency said the summit would offer a chance to strengthen Franco-Italian cooperation in several key areas, including defence, nuclear energy and space. “We need each other,” it said ahead of the talks.

Italy's PM Meloni hosts Macron in Rome for 'turning point' summit

A cautious rapprochement

Relations between Macron, a pro-European centrist, and Meloni, who leads a coalition of right and far-right parties, have not always been easy. The leaders of the European Union's second- and third-largest economies are not natural political allies, and their governments have clashed over issues including migration, trade and the war in Ukraine.

Yet both sides have made efforts to lower the temperature. A lengthy one-on-one meeting in Rome in June last year helped ease some of the friction, and more recent encounters have suggested a willingness to keep dialogue open.

In April, when leaders gathered in Paris for a summit on securing the Strait of Hormuz, Meloni arrived at the Elysee Palace in a red Alfa Romeo. Macron greeted her with an enthusiastic double kiss that appeared to catch the Italian leader off guard. A video of the moment went viral, showing Meloni visibly surprised before the two leaders laughed it off.

Marc Lazar, an Italy specialist at Sciences Po in Paris, said the Antibes summit was likely to build on a still fragile rapprochement, despite persistent disagreements.

“There will be photos, they'll kiss each other warmly on both cheeks, and she'll stop sulking when she sees Macron,” Lazar said.

The changing international backdrop may also help. Meloni had long sought to present herself as a bridge between Europe and Trump. But after a G7 summit in France, she distanced herself from the US leader over what she described as his “constant, unprovoked attacks”.

“That can only please Emmanuel Macron,” Lazar added.

Italy targets energy, migration with 'non-predatory' plan for Africa

Defence, energy and space on the agenda

Despite their political differences, Macron and Meloni have found common ground on some issues. Both oppose the European Union's free trade agreement with South America's Mercosur bloc, reflecting concerns in France and Italy about its impact on farmers and industry.

But sharp divisions remain. Italy has pushed for migrant detention centres outside the European Union, an idea on which Paris and Rome have not been fully aligned. Meloni also opposes sending Italian troops to Ukraine, even after a possible end to the war, as part of security guarantees for Kyiv – a position that differs from Macron's more forward-leaning approach.

Even so, defence cooperation will be central to Thursday's summit. The two countries are expected to sign a roadmap in the sector, with particular emphasis on the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defence system that has been delivered to Ukraine.

The leaders are also expected to sign a cooperation agreement on nuclear energy, an area where France is keen to deepen European partnerships. A further agreement is planned on a European satellite project intended to create a powerful rival to Elon Musk's Starlink.

(With newswires)