Macron and Meloni sign a defence roadmap at Antibes after the Trump rift
Paris and Rome deepen cooperation on the SAMP/T air-defence system, nuclear energy and a European satellite venture to rival Starlink
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Summary
Emmanuel Macron hosted Giorgia Meloni in Antibes on June 25 for the first France-Italy bilateral summit under the 2021 Quirinal Treaty, signing a defence roadmap that foregrounds the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air-defence system already supplied to Ukraine. The two also agreed cooperation on nuclear energy, including small modular reactors, and on the "Bromo" satellite venture meant to build a European rival to Starlink. Meloni arrived fresh from her fallout with Trump over Iran, and the French presidency framed the meeting bluntly: "We need each other." It caps a day of European defence coordination alongside the E5 Berlin meeting.
Why it matters
A working Paris-Rome axis on air defence, nuclear power and space hardens Europe's autonomy push at a moment when ties to Donald Trump's Washington are fraying. SAMP/T and the satellite venture target two visible dependencies: Ukraine's air shield and reliance on US-controlled space infrastructure.
What to watch
- Concrete SAMP/T production and delivery commitments for Ukraine.
- Whether the "Bromo" satellite project secures funding and partners.
- Durability of the Macron-Meloni thaw given their past clashes.