French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met in Rome on Tuesday, pledging to strengthen cooperation on key European and international issues following weeks of public friction over Ukraine, trade, and relations with the United States.
In a joint statement following their three-hour summit, the leaders emphasised shared goals to bolster Europe’s competitiveness and industrial resilience. They identified sectors undergoing transition—such as automotive and steel—alongside advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, renewables, and space, calling for increased EU-level support.
On defence, Macron and Meloni reaffirmed their “unwavering” support for Ukraine and advocated for a significant scale-up in European defence capabilities. While Meloni has expressed caution regarding military engagement, particularly in relation to French-led initiatives such as peacekeeping missions, the statement underlined a unified commitment to long-term backing for Kyiv.
Trade was another key area of discussion. Despite Meloni’s strong transatlantic orientation and her reluctance to provoke trade tensions with the United States, both leaders concurred on the importance of securing fair conditions for European businesses.
The leaders also addressed Mediterranean security, focusing on concerns about a growing Russian presence in Libya. Although specific details were limited, both parties stressed the necessity of maintaining EU vigilance in the region.
The meeting, initiated by Macron, was seen as an effort to smooth over recent diplomatic tensions, including Meloni’s absence from a Kyiv visit and missed international engagements. The two agreed to reconvene for a follow-up summit in France in early 2026.
Despite ideological differences, the summit marked a step towards greater European unity in the face of mounting global challenges.
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The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It comes after a deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people last week.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called it “a disgrace” that Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries. Attacks are continuing from Russia and Ukraine as media reports say Ukraine has almost run out of Patriot interceptor missiles.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
An unknown projectile struck a tanker 68 nautical miles northeast of Saudi Arabia on Friday according to a report released by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Saturday.
Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy and water systems, combined with damaged homes and rising living costs, could force more people to flee this winter, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned on Friday, as its response plan for the country remains less than 7 per cent funded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that a potential meeting between Ukraine, the United States and Russia could take place during the G20 summit in Miami in December, although neither Washington nor Moscow has confirmed the talks.
Nearly half of delegates walked out of an International Monetary Fund meeting in Bangkok on Saturday as Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov addressed the group, exposing deep divisions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Nationwide protests are set to begin in France on Saturday with students, trade unionists and remnants of the Yellow Vest movement expected to demonstrate against rising living costs amongst others.
European Union leaders wrapped up a summit in Brussels with agreement emerging on several key issues, including support for the automotive industry, trade tensions with China and financing for Ukraine.
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