Overview

• The Rome talks addressed Ukraine security guarantees, US tariff challenges, industrial cooperation and concerns over Russia’s expanding presence in eastern Libya.
• Macron initiated the visit to demonstrate respect and friendship and to solidify joint European responses to shared crises.
• The leaders issued a declaration reaffirming their roles as EU founding members and promising a more sovereign and prosperous Europe backing Ukraine’s defence.
• Recent disputes over potential peacekeeping troops in Ukraine and divergent strategies for engaging US President Donald Trump had strained their relationship.
• A follow-up bilateral summit in France early in 2026 is scheduled to sustain momentum on Franco-Italian coordination.