French MFA summons Italian envoy amid Ukraine policy dispute

Italian Ambassador to France Emanuela D'Alessandro was summoned to the French Foreign Ministry following sharp remarks made by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini, criticising French President Emmanuel Macron’s position on deploying European troops to Ukraine. 

During a visit to Milan, Salvini firmly rejected the possibility of Italian military involvement in Ukraine as part of the “coalition of the willing,” an initiative led by Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“Italian soldiers in Ukraine? Absolutely not. If Emmanuel Macron wants that, let him go there himself. Put on a helmet, grab a rifle, and go to Ukraine yourself,” Salvini declared.

A diplomatic source told the media that, during the meeting at the French Foreign Ministry, the Italian ambassador was informed that such statements were inconsistent with the climate of trust and the long-standing relationship between Rome and Paris. 

The ministry reportedly stressed that these comments undermine “recent bilateral engagements that demonstrated a significant rapprochement between the two countries, particularly in their consistent support for Ukraine.”

Observers noted that this is not the first time Salvini, known for his close ties to Marine Le Pen, leader of the French National Rally’s parliamentary group, has openly criticised Macron’s stance on Ukraine. On March 7, Salvini referred to Macron as “crazy,” accusing him of driving Europe closer to a direct military confrontation with Russia.

Prime Minister Meloni has also expressed criticism of Macron’s proposal to send a European peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine for protective operations. “Russia has 1.3 million soldiers: how many should we send to accomplish the task? And if one of our soldiers dies, are we supposed to pretend nothing happened, or should we respond?” she said, explaining her position.

The “coalition of the willing” consists of more than 30 countries, predominantly European, prepared to contribute to a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. France and the United Kingdom serve as the coordinating powers within the alliance, which was officially announced in early March 2025 by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

By Tamilla Hasanova