Meloni, whose country has a large trade surplus with the U.S., has sought to keep Europe aligned with the U.S., using the slogan "Make the West great again" in a meeting with Trump in Washington in April. Macron has pushed for the EU to take a more independent approach.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to Rome with a firm handshake on Tuesday, a meeting that many interpreted as a sign of diplomatic rapprochement. Following a three-hour discussion,

Talks with Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico centred on lasting peace in Ukraine while a working dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron was seen as an opportunity to find some common ground on issues where both leaders' positions have diverged.