Meloni sees Macron for the Italy-France summit: “We are natural partners”

Italy and France share “the vision of a more competitive Europe. The EU must accelerate, invest more, reduce independence, diversify”, he continued. “We want our companies to be protected from unfair competition and to be able to invest – he added – we must support protection in the European Union through a European preference in strategic sectors, guaranteeing investments that are profitable for foreign investors”.

Italy and France “strengthen cooperation” in the energy sector, the French president then explained. “AND’ It is more necessary than ever to strengthen European energy independence – said the head of the Elysée -. France already made a clear choice on the production of nuclear energy many years ago, and the legislative process underway in Italy tends to restart nuclear energy”.

“I want to welcome the willingness of Italian industrialists to participate in the development and implementation in Europe of the Nuwar small nuclear reactor project – he added -. We therefore want build a global industrial partnership with Italy in the field of civil nuclear power across the entire value chain“.

In the space sectorcontinues Macron, “our cooperation has been a historic driving force for Europe and must remain so. We must continue to put skills at the service of strengthening competitiveness, resilience, European sovereignty for autonomous access to space, satellite communications, exploration and observation, space defense – added the head of the Elysée – which is why we reaffirmed our support for the “Bromo Project”, which will allow the creation of a European leader”.

On the safety issue“we have decided to create a mixed Italian-French team to fight against irregular immigration, also implementing the pact on immigration and asylum”.

“We work together closely within the framework of the European political community – he added – we have launched together the European coalition against drugs and drug traffickingwith operational results for port resilience and the fight against illicit financial flows and rehabilitation” while on Ukraine “in recent days we have managed to converge again with the United States”.

And again: “We want to start a coalition for the post-Unifil periodobviously in coordination with the European Union and the United Nations, in order to strengthen the sovereignty of Lebanon and that of its armed forces”

Italy and France are “multiplying” their collaboration in the field of transport, he said at the end of the summit. “Let’s bring the Colle di Tenda tunnel project is moving forward – he underlined -. the Quirinale Treaty from this point of view was truly decisive”. “Let’s move forward on the project Lyon-Turin railway connectionas well as on the Marseille-Genoa railway axis, which is now open to European funding”, he added.

Meloni: “Without us Europe and the West would not be what they are”

“Without Italy and France, Europe and the West would not be what they are. We are two great founding nations of the European Union, with converging interests in many fields, with strategic complementarities from a political, economic, industrial, cultural and social point of view, which are our wealth and represent an added value for the entire European continent and beyond”. Thus Prime Minister Giorgia Meloniduring the joint press conference.

“It is a very important day for relations between Italy and France. We believed that it was more than sensible, indeed important, to find a moment, among these many meetings that we have on a multilateral level, to also take stock of our bilateral relations. A commitment that we had made some time ago and which today we are finally bringing to fruition. We are celebrating the 36th Intergovernmental Summit between Italy and France and I believe that this number tells well how the relations between our nations are structured over time and deep”, he added.

On the Ukrainian dossier “we note that, in the face of Kiev’s repeated willingness to negotiate, the Russian side continues to refuse dialogue, setting preconditions that are objectively inadmissible. But in this complex context, the awareness that there is room, and there must be room, for a role for Europe is growing with ever greater conviction, starting from the assumption that both the path to peace and the future post-conflict structure are associated with fundamental interests of our continent”.

As for the crisis in Lebanonexplains the Prime Minister, “Italy and France can absolutely make a difference. They are two nations that have always been committed to peace and stability. As you know, the Unifil mission will end at the end of the year and it is necessary, from our point of view, to guarantee an international presence that avoids a very dangerous security vacuum”.

So the words about “dramatic situation in Gaza and the West Bank remains at the center of our concerns, but we are equally attentive to the crisis in Lebanon, where Italy and France can make an absolute difference. They are two nations that have always been committed to peace and stability. As you know, the Unifil mission will end at the end of the year and it is necessary, from our point of view, to guarantee an international presence that will avoid a very dangerous security vacuum.”

With France, the prime minister added, “we cooperate” on immigration theme “for a long time, but with the new European rules we will be able to do it with even better results. In the meantime, I think we must also be happy with the results that a new European approach to the subject and governance of migration is already giving, for which, as you know, I have also personally worked hard. In 2026 we have seen a further 40% decrease in irregular crossings of the external borders of the European Union. So we are on the right track”.

“Border security must also extend to the other major emergencies of our time and here I cannot fail to mention the fight against drug trafficking. Tomorrow is World Drug Day and it is worth remembering that Italy and France have decided to give further impetus to the European coalition they launched together, which, let us remember, over thirty nations have already joined. In the coming months we will host in Italy, and specifically in the community of San Patrignano, which is an Italian excellence, an event dedicated to the themes of prevention and recovery”, Meloni’s words.

“We want to strengthen our collaboration also in the field of space economy. Here too, Italy and France can boast a cutting-edge industrial supply chain, as well as being the only two European nations to have autonomous access to space thanks to the Vega-C and Ariane 6 satellite launchers. It is an area in which we can make a difference, which still has enormous potential. We hope that our cooperation can also support the success of the Bromo programme, which aims to create a European champion in this sector”, said Meloni.

“I take this opportunity – he added – to do Once again my congratulations to President Macron for the success of last week’s G7. It was very important, very successful, at a time when the international scenario we find ourselves in is particularly complex. What emerged from that G7 was an important signal of unity with partners, but also an ability to dialogue beyond traditional blocs. There were many partners and interlocutors with whom we spoke in those two days and I think that President Macron and the French organization should be given credit for having truly created a very successful G7″.

From defense to space, exchange of agreements in Antibes

Meanwhile, the ceremony for exchanging agreements within the framework of the intergovernmental summit took place. Among the main documents signed are the Declaration of Intent for strengthening cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, together with a Joint Declaration on the seas and the ocean.

On the security front, an administrative agreement was signed for the creation and organization of a Mixed Italian-French Team to combat illegal immigration, while in the defense field the Italy-France Defense Chronoprogram 2026-2031 was adopted.

Also signed was a joint Declaration on collaboration in the space sector in the framework of the Quirinale Treaty, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of geographical indications, a Declaration of Intent on cultural heritage and a Declaration on the development of the Marseille-Nice-Genoa railway axis.