France has summoned Italy’s ambassador after Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini disparaged French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion that European troops could be deployed in Ukraine as part of a post-war settlement, a French diplomatic source confirmed to Reuters on Aug. 23.
Responding to Macron’s appeal earlier this week, Salvini used a Milanese dialect expression loosely meaning "get lost." Speaking to reporters, he added: "You go there if you want. Put your helmet on, your jacket, your rifle and you go to Ukraine."
Salvini, who leads Italy’s right-wing League party and serves as transport minister in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, has long been a critic of Macron, especially regarding Ukraine. His remarks prompted France to call in Italy’s envoy on Aug. 22, in what has become the latest in a string of diplomatic disputes between Paris and Rome since Meloni took office in 2022.
According to the French diplomatic source, "(T)he ambassador was reminded that these remarks ran counter to the climate of trust and the historical relationship between our two countries, as well as to recent bilateral developments, which have highlighted strong convergences between the two countries, particularly with regard to unwavering support for Ukraine."
Macron has been among Europe’s strongest advocates of backing Kyiv in its fight against Russia, working closely with leaders including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to secure international support for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
The debate over Europe’s role in postwar Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks. According to Bloomberg, Meloni has advanced a proposal for security guarantees that would require Ukraine’s allies to decide within 24 hours of a renewed Russian attack whether to commit support, ranging from military aid to sanctions.
The plan, first floated in March 2025, mirrors NATO’s Article 5 collective defense principle but does not include NATO membership for Ukraine.
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