The meeting, held in the French Riviera resort town of Antibes, marked the first Franco-Italian summit since the implementation of the 2021 strategic partnership treaty that elevated relations between the two countries.

In a statement ahead of the talks, the French presidency stressed the importance of deeper collaboration in key sectors including defense, nuclear energy, and space, declaring that France and Italy “need each other.”

Relations between Macron and Meloni have often been strained due to ideological differences. Macron is a pro-European centrist, while Meloni leads a right-wing coalition in Italy. However, both leaders have recently sought to improve ties and enhance cooperation on common European challenges.

The summit comes shortly after Meloni publicly distanced herself from US President Donald Trump following disagreements over his foreign policy rhetoric. Analysts believe the development could encourage closer coordination between Rome and Paris within the European Union.

Despite progress, differences remain on issues such as migration policy and military support for Ukraine. Italy opposes deploying troops to Ukraine even in a post-war security arrangement, while France has been more open to such discussions.

During the summit, the two countries were expected to sign agreements covering defense cooperation, including support for the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense system supplied to Ukraine. Additional agreements focus on nuclear energy collaboration and the development of a European satellite initiative designed to compete with private systems such as Starlink.

Political observers describe the meeting as an effort to transform a cautious rapprochement into a more structured partnership at a time when Europe faces growing security, economic, and strategic challenges.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Monday that air defence systems destroyed almost 60 drones headed toward the Russian capital. Emergency services were dispatched to locations where debris fell, though officials provided no immediate details on casualties or damage.

The attacks prompted temporary flight suspensions at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovskiy airports before operations later resumed, according to Russia’s aviation authorities.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said a total of 301 drones were intercepted overnight, including over Russian-controlled territories in occupied areas of Ukraine. The latest wave of attacks followed renewed Ukrainian strikes last week on Moscow’s only oil refinery, one of the most significant assaults on the Russian capital since the full-scale war began in 2022.

In Ukraine, regional authorities reported civilian casualties in several areas following Russian attacks.

In the northeastern Sumy region, prosecutors said a drone strike killed three members of the same family — a 13-year-old boy, his 36-year-old father and his 73-year-old grandmother. The boy’s mother and two siblings were injured.

Further south, a drone attack on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia killed one woman and wounded three others, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.

In the Odesa region, Governor Oleh Kiper said a Russian Iskander ballistic missile struck an agricultural facility on Sunday evening, killing one person and injuring three others. The attack sparked fires involving vehicles and fuel storage tanks.

Security concerns also intensified in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. Sevastopol authorities cancelled all outdoor public events on Monday and ordered street lighting to remain switched off as a precautionary measure.

Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev urged residents to reduce electricity consumption amid growing pressure on regional energy supplies. Authorities have also restricted fuel sales to government agencies and essential services after repeated Ukrainian strikes on logistics routes and energy infrastructure contributed to shortages.

Ukraine’s navy said Russian drones also targeted commercial shipping in the Black Sea overnight, damaging three merchant vessels.

One of the vessels, the Panamanian-flagged dry cargo ship Victress, operated by Turkey-based Rana Denizcilik according to shipping data, sustained significant damage after being struck by a drone. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said a 58-year-old Egyptian crew member was killed and eight others, including Turkish and Indian nationals, evacuated the vessel aboard a lifeboat.

Kuleba said two additional merchant vessels sailing under the flags of Palau and Belize were also attacked but continued their voyages without reported casualties.

The incidents underscore the continued risks facing commercial shipping in the Black Sea, where attacks on ports, vessels and export routes have become a recurring feature of the conflict and have disrupted regional trade since the war began.

The latest exchanges highlight the growing use of long-range drones by both sides as the conflict increasingly extends beyond front-line battlefields and into major urban centers, critical infrastructure networks and international maritime corridors.

Tajani called Trump’s remarks “serious and offensive” toward both Meloni and Italy, while announcing the cancellation of his scheduled visit to Washington this weekend.

The dispute erupted after an interview with Trump aired on Italy’s La7 television network on Friday. According to the broadcaster, Trump said Meloni had requested a photo opportunity with him during the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains and claimed she had “begged” for it. La7 published a dubbed version of the exchange online.

Responding in a video statement, Meloni described Trump’s account as “completely fabricated” and expressed surprise at the comments.

“Donald Trump’s statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned,” Meloni said. “I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way toward his own allies.”

She added: “Italy and I do not beg.”

The unusually direct public rebuttal marked one of Meloni’s sharpest responses to Trump since the start of his second term. The Italian leader had initially sought to preserve close transatlantic ties and position herself as a bridge between Washington and the European Union, including by attending Trump’s inauguration as the only European Union head of government present.

Relations between Rome and Washington, however, have become increasingly strained over several foreign policy issues. Meloni has criticized the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran as illegal, while Italy remains a firm supporter of Ukraine, an issue that has also generated friction with Trump.

Differences over U.S. tariffs and Washington’s support for Israel’s military operations in Gaza have further complicated bilateral relations.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also rejected Trump’s characterization, saying he could not imagine Meloni asking anyone for a photograph.

“I can, however, imagine how much it cost her to set aside what Trump had said weeks ago, to serve the interests of Italy, of Europe, and of the West,” Crosetto wrote on X.

He added that such remarks did not benefit either country or the broader Western alliance.

The controversy follows earlier criticism directed at Meloni by Trump in an interview with Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper in April, when he faulted her opposition to the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran. Meloni did not publicly respond at the time.

The latest exchange has brought those tensions into the open, underscoring the challenges facing one of Washington’s traditionally closest partners in Europe as disagreements widen over key geopolitical issues.

Addressing EU leaders during a summit in Brussels, Zelensky said Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion was central to the continent’s future and that rapid integration into the European Union would provide the strongest long-term guarantee for European stability and security.

“The future of Europe — free, united and of course in peace — is being decided in our defense,” Zelensky said in excerpts of his remarks released on social media.

The Ukrainian leader acknowledged that support for an accelerated accession process was not unanimous among EU member states. Hungary, one of Kyiv’s most vocal critics within the bloc, opposed language endorsing a faster membership track and secured its removal from the European Council’s final statement.

“The most important such step — I know that not everyone loves this — could be a fast-track path for Ukraine to join the EU,” Zelensky said.

The European Council’s statement welcomed the launch of accession negotiations with Ukraine and said it looked forward to opening additional negotiating chapters under the bloc’s merit-based enlargement framework. However, it omitted any commitment to speeding up the process.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on X that Budapest had succeeded in deleting references to accelerated accession from the summit conclusions.

“It wasn’t easy,” Magyar wrote.

The debate over Ukraine’s EU ambitions unfolded as Kyiv intensified its long-range military campaign against Russia. Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian drones struck targets deep inside Russian territory, including an oil refinery in Moscow, in one of the latest attacks aimed at critical infrastructure.

Zelensky cited Ukraine’s ability to conduct long-range strikes as evidence of its military capabilities during meetings this week with U.S. President Donald Trump and other Group of Seven leaders in France.

In separate comments posted on Telegram, Zelensky reiterated Kyiv’s goal of ending the war before the end of 2026, while acknowledging the challenges of negotiating with Moscow.

“Of course, we want to end this war before winter — through diplomacy and by putting pressure on Russia. But we understand who we’re dealing with,” he said.

Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky said Ukraine needed continued military and energy support should the conflict continue through another winter. He called for additional air-defense missiles, fuel supplies, energy equipment and a package of at least 300 missiles.

The Ukrainian president also urged European partners to strengthen financial support for Kyiv’s armed forces and called for the release of 6 billion euros from the European Peace Facility, an EU mechanism designed to support international security and defense efforts.

EU ambassadors agreed last week to advance membership negotiations with both Ukraine and Moldova, opening discussions on the first of six policy and legal clusters that candidate countries must complete before joining the bloc.

Ukraine’s latest drone attacks came amid escalating exchanges between Kyiv and Moscow. Ukrainian officials described the strike on Moscow’s refinery as retaliation for an attack that damaged a nearly 1,000-year-old monastery, an allegation Russia has denied.

Zelensky maintained that Ukraine remained open to direct talks with Putin but urged European governments to sustain sanctions pressure and financial assistance.

“Europe has to be engaged for us to have a strong position, to commit fully on sanctions without loopholes, on confiscation without exceptions and on funding Ukraine,” he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after Thursday’s attacks that Moscow would continue carrying out what he described as massive coordinated strikes against Ukrainian targets on a regular basis.

Meeting at their summit in Evian-les-Bains on the shores of Lake Geneva, the leaders issued a joint statement welcoming an interim accord reached between Washington and Tehran that is expected to launch negotiations toward a broader settlement to end the regional conflict.

“We underline the need for the negotiation to address the threats posed by Iran in the region and beyond and ensure that they never obtain a nuclear weapon,” the G7 leaders said.

The agreement, expected to be formally unveiled on Friday, extends a ceasefire first announced in April by a further 60 days to allow negotiations on a permanent settlement. The conflict has reportedly killed more than 7,000 people, with most casualties occurring in Iran and Lebanon.

The summit provided U.S. President Donald Trump an opportunity to brief fellow G7 leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan on the framework reached with Tehran. While the group has consistently shared concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear activities, many members had previously expressed reservations about the military confrontation that preceded the negotiations.

G7 leaders said they were prepared to support implementation of the accord. A maritime security initiative led by Britain and France is expected to assist in safeguarding shipping routes as the Strait of Hormuz is anticipated to reopen following months of disruption.

Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, significant issues remain unresolved. Iran’s government remains in power, its stockpile of enriched uranium has not yet been transferred or dismantled, and Tehran has not committed to ending support for allied armed groups across the region.

Trump said the agreement guarantees that Iran will not acquire a nuclear weapon, while U.S. officials indicated future negotiations would address the fate of Tehran’s enriched uranium reserves.

One of the most contentious issues remains Lebanon, where hostilities continue despite progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations. Israel launched military operations in Lebanon earlier this year targeting Hezbollah positions, and Israeli forces continue to hold territory in the country’s south.

The G7 statement called for an “immediate robust ceasefire” in Lebanon and urged the disarmament of Hezbollah. Iran has maintained that any lasting regional settlement must include an end to hostilities in Lebanon and an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas.

Israel has rejected such conditions and insists it retains the right to conduct military operations against security threats. The issue has contributed to visible tensions between Washington and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Speaking at the summit, Trump criticized Israel’s handling of the conflict, signaling a rare public divergence between the United States and its longtime ally.

A Hezbollah spokesperson told Reuters that the group believed Tehran would not support a permanent settlement if Israeli forces remained in Lebanese territory.

The proposed agreement also carries significant economic implications. According to officials familiar with the framework, it includes provisions for a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, financed by neighboring Gulf states and contingent upon Iranian compliance with the accord’s terms.

A senior U.S. official said Washington would waive sanctions on Iranian oil exports under the arrangement, potentially increasing global crude supply. Energy analysts caution, however, that regional oil and gas production could require months to return to full capacity.

Reflecting concerns over disruptions to maritime trade, G7 leaders committed to accelerating efforts to diversify energy transportation routes and expand strategic reserves to reduce exposure to chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Financial markets reacted positively to signs of de-escalation. Brent crude prices fell below $80 per barrel, reaching their lowest levels since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict, as traders anticipated the restoration of shipping traffic and energy exports.

The G7 also reaffirmed collective support for Ukraine, including its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and agreed to intensify sanctions pressure on Russia.

The unified stance underscored Kyiv’s strengthened diplomatic position following a series of successful drone operations that have complicated Moscow’s military calculus and renewed international discussion about prospects for peace negotiations.

The statement followed what Trump described as a “very good” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other G7 leaders on Tuesday. Zelensky indicated he could hold further discussions with the U.S. president during the summit as diplomatic efforts surrounding the war continue.

In Sloviansk in the Donetsk region, prosecutors said three people were killed in two bomb attacks and five were injured. The area is part of Ukraine’s heavily fortified “fortress belt” on the front line.

In Zaporizhzhia, national police reported a wave of dozens of drone strikes that killed one person in a car and injured seven others. Regional officials said there were five strikes in total, damaging homes, a shopping center, and an educational institution.

Images showed burning buildings and severe structural damage.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the reports. Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians in the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Kyiv’s military administration said four people were killed and 23 wounded in the capital, including a child, after overnight attacks involving ballistic missiles and waves of Shahed drones.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said five emergency responders were killed in Kharkiv after they were hit by a second strike while battling a fire caused by an earlier attack. At least five other rescuers were wounded.

Authorities said powerful explosions were reported across Kyiv overnight, with civilian infrastructure heavily damaged. Several strikes hit residential areas in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district, including a 25-story apartment building, while a market and grocery store also caught fire.

A nine-story residential building in the Obolonskyi district was also damaged after being directly hit.

Kyiv officials accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian areas, while Moscow has continued to carry out long-range missile and drone attacks during the ongoing war.

The strikes also caused major damage at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Ukraine’s most important religious landmarks.

Officials said a major fire broke out at the historic monastic complex, while Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, said the roof of the Dormition Cathedral was damaged.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, dates back to the 11th century and includes churches, monasteries and underground caves. It has long been considered a major religious and cultural center in Eastern Europe.

The latest attacks came as Russia and Ukraine remain locked in a war that has entered its fifth year, with Moscow continuing strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

EU foreign ministers from the 27-member bloc will begin talks with Ukraine and neighboring Moldova on the first cluster of EU legislation, opening the next stage of their accession process.

Ukraine’s progress had been delayed for nearly two years after Hungary blocked further movement under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The path reopened after his rival Peter Magyar won elections in April.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said the move recognized the efforts and reforms undertaken by Ukraine and Moldova despite significant challenges.

The decision provides political support for Kyiv, which applied for EU membership after Russia’s invasion, but officials said major obstacles remain before accession can take place.

Ukraine must complete negotiations covering 35 chapters of EU law, including areas such as environment, agriculture, justice and security, organized into six major clusters.

A European diplomat said the process would be complicated by the ongoing war, institutional reforms and challenges including organized crime.

Hungary’s new leadership has suggested that even if negotiations are completed, membership could still take many years, while some EU officials have discussed alternative arrangements.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed the idea of Ukraine becoming an “associate member” without voting rights while it works toward full accession, a proposal that Kyiv has viewed with caution.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine’s goal remains full EU membership with complete rights.

The broader debate comes as Ukraine, Moldova and other candidate countries seek closer ties with the bloc, raising questions about how the EU would function with more members.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the EU should prepare itself to accept Ukraine by 2030 if Kyiv completes the required reforms and negotiations.

He stressed that the timeline would depend on Ukraine’s progress and the outcome of accession talks.

Trump’s call with Putin lasted nearly an hour, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who said the US president emphasized the need to end hostilities and was prepared to encourage European allies and Kyiv toward that goal.

Ushakov said Putin argued that Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure would not alter the battlefield situation and said that if Zelensky wanted to meet, he should travel to Moscow.

The discussions also included Iran, with Trump saying an agreement with Tehran was close and that details could soon be made public, Ushakov said.

Zelensky said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Trump and thanked him for supporting Ukraine. He said the two leaders discussed steps that could help move toward peace and agreed to continue discussions during the G7 summit.

The diplomatic contacts came as fighting continued. Ukrainian drone attacks killed two people in Russia’s Oryol and Bryansk regions, according to local authorities. A separate drone strike hit fuel storage facilities in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, causing fires.

Zelensky said the Yaroslavl strike targeted an oil facility important to Russia’s reserves. Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, arguing that the sector supports Moscow’s war effort.

The calls took place as Trump prepared to travel to France for the G7 summit, where Ukraine is expected to be a major issue. Zelensky is scheduled to join discussions with world leaders.

The conflict has remained a challenge for Trump, who previously said he could end the war quickly but has since shifted focus toward broader diplomatic efforts.

Separately, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom detained a tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” vessels accused of helping evade sanctions linked to the war.

British forces boarded the tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel in cooperation with French authorities. Starmer said the operation was aimed at increasing pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Tetiana Zaitseva, 68, said her son Artem Zaitsev, 44, died shortly after being taken to a territorial recruitment center in Kryvyi Rig following his detention by police and military personnel during the night of May 4-5, 2024.

Ukrainian authorities have attributed his death to a medical episode linked to a heart condition. Zaitseva disputes that finding and says injuries sustained while in custody contributed to his death.

The case has drawn attention as Ukraine continues mandatory military mobilization introduced after Russia’s 2022 invasion. While reported incidents involving violence against conscripts represent a small fraction of overall call-ups, complaints have increased as the conflict has evolved into a prolonged war of attrition.

According to information documented through official announcements and media reports, at least 30 Ukrainians have died after mobilization since September 2023. Most cases involved pre-existing medical conditions, while four individuals died by suicide and two were reported to have been beaten.

Videos circulating on social media have also shown recruitment personnel forcibly detaining men for military service, fueling public criticism of enlistment practices. At the same time, recruitment officers have increasingly become targets of violence. Police data show three recruiters have been killed since 2022 and more than 600 attacks on recruitment centers have been recorded.

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who took office in January, has pledged what he described as major changes to the mobilization system amid concerns over enforcement methods and public trust.

A Ukrainian officer serving on the front line told AFP that responsibility for mobilization should rest with police rather than military personnel and called for tougher penalties against corruption within the recruitment process.

Cases involving officials accused of issuing draft exemptions in exchange for bribes have further undermined confidence in the system, according to observers and polling data.

Zaitseva said she visited her son at the recruitment center shortly before his death and observed injuries to his face, including bruising and swollen lips. She said he assured her he was well enough at the time.
A second medical examination conducted at her request roughly 16 months after his death found evidence of non-fatal injuries, including broken ribs, that investigators said were sustained at the recruitment center.

A criminal case initially opened under a murder classification was later closed without further action before being reopened in February following an appeal by Zaitseva.

The case has been widely circulated by Russian media outlets and by Ukrainian blogger Myroslav Oleshko, who left Ukraine after seeking to avoid military service. Ukrainian investigative outlet Bihus criticized such coverage, arguing that some actors were using legitimate grievances to advance political or propaganda objectives.

Despite concerns over information manipulation, public dissatisfaction with recruitment practices remains significant. Oleksii Antypovych, director of polling firm Rating Group, said survey data indicate that more than 70% of Ukrainians are dissatisfied with recruitment authorities.

Antypovych said public frustration could deepen unless reforms are implemented to improve transparency and accountability within the mobilization process.

Standing beside her son’s grave near her home in Kryvyi Rig, Zaitseva said she continues to seek answers about the circumstances surrounding his death and wants those responsible, if any wrongdoing is established, to be held accountable.