Overview

• Paris called in Italian ambassador Emanuela D’Alessandro after a French diplomatic source labeled Matteo Salvini’s remarks about Emmanuel Macron "inacceptable."
• Salvini, asked in Milan about potential Italian troop deployments to Ukraine, suggested Macron should go himself with a helmet and a rifle.
• French officials told the ambassador the comments ran counter to the climate of trust, the historic relationship between the countries, and recent convergences in support for Ukraine.
• France and the United Kingdom are advancing a coalition of volunteers considering post-ceasefire security contingents in Ukraine, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni refuses to send troops.
• The episode follows Salvini’s earlier jibes at Macron, including calling him "fou" in March, highlighting tensions and divisions within Italy’s government over Ukraine.