Macron and Meloni to Hold First Bilateral Summit in Antibes

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to receive Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Antibes on June 25 for their first official bilateral summit. While the two leaders have met on various occasions previously, the Élysée Palace confirmed that this meeting marks their first formal bilateral summit since Meloni took office.

The gathering is the first Rome-Paris summit to take place since the entry into force of the 2021 Quirinale Treaty, an agreement designed to establish a new foundation for bilateral relations between the two nations. The summit will involve delegations of nine ministers from each country.

Strategic cooperation will be a primary focus of the talks, with the leaders expected to deepen ties in the sectors of infrastructure, energy, space, and defense. As part of the itinerary, the leaders and ministers will visit the headquarters of Thales Alenia Space, a joint Franco-Italian company located in Cannes.

Beyond strategic industries, the event will include a Franco-Italian business forum in Le Cannet. The leaders also intend to explore methods for strengthening ties between their respective civil societies, specifically through cultural initiatives and youth engagement.

According to the French president's office, the discussions will also cover major international and European issues. One area of alignment includes Lebanon, where both nations intend to advocate for an international mission to succeed the Italian-led UNIFIL mission, which is scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

The meeting comes after a period of strained relations characterized by mutual accusations and disagreements over the management of migration, abortion, and France's diplomatic approach to Ukraine. The summit is viewed as an attempt by both leaders to move past these differences and reinforce the partnership between two of the European Union's largest economies.