One of Europe’s most prominent right-wing leaders arrived in the resort of Antibes on the French Riviera for her first bilateral summit with Macron.

The talks marked the first Franco-Italian summit since a treaty on a strategic alliance came into force in 2021, elevating relations to a level comparable to that between France and Germany.

Smiling broadly, the two leaders exchanged kisses and briefly held hands as the French host welcomed Meloni outside the Picasso Museum in Antibes.

“Come, come,” Macron called out as he took Meloni on a private tour of the museum.

The French presidency said the summit would be an opportunity to deepen cooperation in strategic sectors such as defence, nuclear energy, and space.

“We need each other,” the Elysee said ahead of the talks at the Villa Eilenroc, a dazzling 19th-century residence overlooking the Mediterranean.

Relations have often been strained between Macron, a pro-European centrist, and Meloni, who leads a coalition of right and far-right parties.

But while the leaders of the European Union’s second- and third-largest economies are far from natural allies, they have worked to ease tensions, notably during a lengthy one-on-one meeting in Rome in June last year.

In April, as leaders gathered in Paris for a summit on securing the Strait of Hormuz, Meloni arrived at the Elysee in a red Alfa Romeo. Macron greeted the Italian leader with an enthusiastic double kiss that appeared to catch her off guard.

A video that went viral showed Meloni visibly surprised before both laughed it off.

‘Asymmetry’

Marc Lazar, an Italy specialist at Sciences Po in Paris, said Meloni and Macron would try to build on a tentative rapprochement, despite disagreements.

Meloni had long sought to position herself as a bridge between Europe and Trump.

But following a G7 summit in France, Meloni has distanced herself from the US leader over what she called his “constant, unprovoked attacks”.

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

Sergio Fabbrini, political science lecturer at Rome’s Luiss University, said Meloni had used her relationship with Trump “to weaken the European Union”.

“Now she finds herself without Trump and is forced to return to the European Union, particularly in terms of defence,” he said.

Fabbrini said Macron was strong at the European level, but weak at home.

By contrast, “Meloni is very strong domestically, but weak at the European level.

“This asymmetry makes the meeting difficult and complicated.”

Macron and Meloni share common ground on some issues, including opposition to the European Union’s free trade agreement with South America’s Mercosur bloc.

But they remain divided on others, such as Italy’s push for migrant detention centres outside the European Union.

Unlike Macron, Meloni opposes sending Italian troops to Ukraine, even in a post-war scenario, to provide security guarantees to Kyiv.

On Thursday, the two countries were expected to sign a roadmap on defence, notably emphasising the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defence system that has been delivered to Ukraine.

A cooperation agreement was also to be signed on nuclear energy, along with another on the planned European satellite powerhouse to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink.

With conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, “space has become absolutely central for the military,” said Herve Derrey, chief executive of Thales Alenia Space, during a Franco-Italian economic forum in the nearby town of Le Cannet.