Overview

• Paris called in Ambassador Emanuela D’Alessandro over Matteo Salvini’s remarks, labeling them unacceptable and contrary to the climate of trust between the two countries.
• At a Lega event in Pinzolo, Salvini repeated that "attaccati al tram" was not an insult, called Emmanuel Macron "permaloso," and urged him to go to fight in Ukraine himself.
• The Lega signaled it would consider the matter closed if Macron explicitly denied any intention to invite European soldiers to fight in Ukraine.
• Italian opposition leaders condemned Salvini’s language as unbecoming of a deputy prime minister and urged Meloni to repudiate his comments and state the government’s position.
• Forza Italia reminded that foreign policy is led by the prime minister and foreign minister, as Antonio Tajani coordinated by phone with his French counterpart ahead of the G7 to keep channels open.