Italy's Meloni slams Macron's invite to Zelensky as 'inappropriate'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron during a joint statement with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Feb. 8 (Reuters)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday criticized as "inappropriate" French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Paris ahead of an EU summit in Brussels.
On the sidelines of the summit, Meloni was asked if a trip by French and German ministers earlier this week to Washington to discuss US green subsidies was inappropriate.
"Frankly, the invitation to Zelensky yesterday seemed more inappropriate to me, because I think our strength in this fight is unity," she told reporters.
"I understand the questions of internal politics, the fact of privileging domestic public opinion," Meloni noted, "But there are moments where privileging domestic public opinion risks being detrimental to the cause, and this seems to me one of those cases."
Zelensky started a surprise visit to Europe on Wednesday with a visit to Britain and then to France, where he had a late dinner with Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
According to Italian media, Meloni did not appreciate being excluded.
Zelensky then headed with Macron to Brussels, where he attended a meeting for the European Parliament on Thursday.
Asked about Meloni's comments, Macron declined to comment specifically, but told journalists, "I wanted to receive him, President Zelensky, with Chancellor Scholz" due to Germany and France's "particular role" in the Ukraine situation, as partners in the Minsk accords.
He added that it was up to Zelensky himself to choose his schedule.
"What matters is that we are effective together and that we have a strategy that finds a way to a durable peace," Macron said.
Read more: Meloni's popularity put to test in Lombardy, Lazio regional votes