Italy’s Giorgia Meloni could not have made it more clear that she will not participate in Britain and France’s so-called coalition of the willing, which will send European ‘peacekeeping’ forces to Ukraine—that is, if Donald Trump backs the plans and the tired armies of Europe can actually muster up enough troops.
But Emmanuel Macron is travelling to Rome today, on June 3rd, where he will dine with the Italian prime minister—apparently upon his own request—and try again to bring her around.
An Élysée readout said the French president will ask that the two countries “move forward together,” especially on the issue of Ukraine. The French president’s office also noted that Italy is an important partner that has a “crucial role to play in European decisions.”
But Meloni has already rejected “Italy’s participation in a possible military force on the ground” in Ukraine—on numerous occasions, in fact, even once saying: “I hope that I have been, once again, very clear.” Perhaps Macron is simply not listening.
Anticipating another failure to bring Meloni on board with plans to send troops to Ukraine, France’s ambassador to Italy, Martin Briens, last week shifted the goalposts of what the ‘coalition’ is all about, telling Italian daily Corriere della Sera it was simply a collection of countries “that share the same goal” …
to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible and then start negotiations for a lasting and just peace in the interest not only of Ukraine, but of Europe
… rather than a bloc (of two) that is prepared to put their own soldiers in the line of fire.”
The talks over dinner are also expected to touch on the Middle East and bilateral relations.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
