Meloni and Macron summit. "Unwavering support for Ukraine, on space linked interests"

The 'unwavering' support for Ukraine and the 'strong convergence' to accelerate the European competitiveness agenda, from automotive to energy. And the mutual commitment to 'coordinate positions' on transatlantic relations and the 'economic and commercial security of the European Union>. Read in general relations with Donald Trump on all dossiers, first and foremost tariffs. Without leaps forward, on the part of anyone.

The face-to-face meeting between Giorgia Meloni and Emmanuel Macron that took place on Tuesday 3 June lasted longer than expected on the eve of the meeting, roughly three hours. It ended after a dinner - which was reportedly appreciated by the French delegation - with a one-page joint communiqué that goes into detail about common European interests and is very brief, however, in the passage on the Middle East (where neither Israel nor Gaza are explicitly mentioned). As for Ukraine, the joint note explains that 'more than three years after the start of Russian aggression and in the aftermath of the talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, France and Italy's unwavering and unwavering support for Ukraine is all the more necessary to achieve a fair and lasting solution, while presupposing an ambitious change of scale in European defence, both in terms of investment and support for Europe's industrial and technological defence base'.

While there comes the expected reference to that Quirinal Treaty that came into force in 2023 and will instead be the subject of an 'updating of the objectives' already at the next bilateral meeting, already set for early 2026 this time in Paris.

The French president arrived at Palazzo Chigi a quarter of an hour late on the agenda. While waiting, in front of the red carpet, it was a continuous stream of shots and flashes. 'It's the parterre of great occasions, there is a lot of interest in this bilateral,' joked Giorgia Meloni addressing the 'platoon' of photographers just before welcoming Macron. With big smiles, hands clasped at length, kisses on the cheeks and a few words whispered in their ears. What divided them was above all the attitude to take with the American administration, on tariffs as on the fate of Kiev, for which the two called in a joint note for 'a fair and lasting solution'.

No mention was made of security guarantees for Ukraine or of the formats, such as that of the 'willing ones', with which to approach at the international level the path to peace on which the distances between Rome and Paris had been measured in recent months. And it was precisely in order to smooth out divergences that have so far been complicated to recompose, and to verify that we can "move forward together on the essential issues", as the Elysée Palace had made known on the eve of the meeting, that the French president had promoted his visit to Italy.