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France 24
5 hours ago
- Business
- France 24
Rivals Meloni and Macron seek to mend fences in Rome talks
The far-right prime minister welcomed the centrist French president to her Palazzo Chigi office, the pair kissing lightly on the cheek and both smiling. A guard of honour played both national anthems before the two European rivals headed inside for talks and a dinner, with no plans to speak to the press. They are not natural political allies, but as the leaders of the EU's second- and third-largest economies, they are both grappling with the fall-out from the war in Ukraine, as well as US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs against the bloc. Meloni on Friday acknowledged "divergences" with Macron but denied she had any "personal problems" with him, and said she was "very happy" with the visit. An Italian government source said Rome and Paris hoped to "lay the foundations for a further strengthening of relations" between two nations "on the front line of the various fronts of international politics". Macron's office said Italy was "an important partner" with "a crucial role to play in European decisions", particularly in the Ukrainian conflict. Despite their political rivalry, the French presidency said the two leaders were showing they were "capable of moving forward together on the essentials". 'Undeniable rivalry' Their cooperation has been sorely tested by Trump, with the pair disagreeing over how to deal with the US president on both tariffs and Ukraine. Meloni and Macron have and "undeniable rivalry", said Marc Lazar, a professor at Sciences Po university in Paris. He said the pair were following different strategies with Meloni seeking "mediation and compromise" with the US president and Macron favouring "unwavering firmness". Rome "believes that because it is ideologically close to the US administration... it will be able to force it to back down on trade tariffs", he told AFP. But while Paris says it has "respect" for those who can "maintain the best possible relationship with President Trump", it insists trade negotiations are the responsibility of the European Commission -- effectively sidelining Meloni as a would-be mediator. On Ukraine, Macron presents himself as the EU's go-to man on the issue, speaking to Trump regularly and invoking the relationship developed during the billionaire's first term. And he has seriously ruffled feathers in Rome with his attempts to put together a "coalition of the willing" ready to provide "security guarantees" to Ukraine. In recent weeks, the French president's meetings on the Russian invasion with the British, German and Polish leaders -- but without Meloni -- have ratcheted up tensions. Paris says that "between Europeans, the issue of formats must be arranged to achieve the best impact we can under the circumstances". It says that Italy has always insisted the US take part. But Lazar notes that as a nuclear power with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, France sees itself as less dependent on the United States. The mood was not helped when an adviser to Macron dismissed Italy's proposal to grant Ukraine protection under Article 5 of the NATO treaty without Kyiv joining the military alliance itself. The article stipulates that if one member is attacked all the others must act as if they too were attacked. While that idea "deserves discussion", it would in practice be very hard to implement, Lazar said, not least "because if the Trump administration refuses Ukraine's accession, it is precisely because it does not want to implement Article 5 for Ukraine's benefit".
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rivals Meloni and Macron seek to mend fences in Rome talks
Italy's Giorgia Meloni and France's Emmanuel Macron met Tuesday in Rome, seeking to reconcile their differences as they confront common challenges, notably US tariffs and the Ukraine war. The far-right prime minister welcomed the centrist French president to her Palazzo Chigi office, the pair kissing lightly on the cheek and both smiling. A guard of honour played both national anthems before the two European rivals headed inside for talks and a dinner, with no plans to speak to the press. They are not natural political allies, but as the leaders of the EU's second- and third-largest economies, they are both grappling with the fall-out from the war in Ukraine, as well as US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs against the bloc. Meloni on Friday acknowledged "divergences" with Macron but denied she had any "personal problems" with him, and said she was "very happy" with the visit. An Italian government source said Rome and Paris hoped to "lay the foundations for a further strengthening of relations" between two nations "on the front line of the various fronts of international politics". Macron's office said Italy was "an important partner" with "a crucial role to play in European decisions", particularly in the Ukrainian conflict. Despite their political rivalry, the French presidency said the two leaders were showing they were "capable of moving forward together on the essentials". - 'Undeniable rivalry' - Their cooperation has been sorely tested by Trump, with the pair disagreeing over how to deal with the US president on both tariffs and Ukraine. Meloni and Macron have and "undeniable rivalry", said Marc Lazar, a professor at Sciences Po university in Paris. He said the pair were following different strategies with Meloni seeking "mediation and compromise" with the US president and Macron favouring "unwavering firmness". Rome "believes that because it is ideologically close to the US administration... it will be able to force it to back down on trade tariffs", he told AFP. But while Paris says it has "respect" for those who can "maintain the best possible relationship with President Trump", it insists trade negotiations are the responsibility of the European Commission -- effectively sidelining Meloni as a would-be mediator. On Ukraine, Macron presents himself as the EU's go-to man on the issue, speaking to Trump regularly and invoking the relationship developed during the billionaire's first term. And he has seriously ruffled feathers in Rome with his attempts to put together a "coalition of the willing" ready to provide "security guarantees" to Ukraine. In recent weeks, the French president's meetings on the Russian invasion with the British, German and Polish leaders -- but without Meloni -- have ratcheted up tensions. Paris says that "between Europeans, the issue of formats must be arranged to achieve the best impact we can under the circumstances". It says that Italy has always insisted the US take part. But Lazar notes that as a nuclear power with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, France sees itself as less dependent on the United States. The mood was not helped when an adviser to Macron dismissed Italy's proposal to grant Ukraine protection under Article 5 of the NATO treaty without Kyiv joining the military alliance itself. The article stipulates that if one member is attacked all the others must act as if they too were attacked. While that idea "deserves discussion", it would in practice be very hard to implement, Lazar said, not least "because if the Trump administration refuses Ukraine's accession, it is precisely because it does not want to implement Article 5 for Ukraine's benefit". ff/ide/ar/giv
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Rivals Meloni and Macron seek to mend fences in Rome talks
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and France's President Emmanuel Macron will aim to reconcile their difference in talks in Rome on Tuesday, with both sides seeking to cope with US tariffs and the conflict in Ukraine. The European rivals are meeting in the Italian capital from 1800 GMT for talks and then dinner, an encounter Macron said he had initiated. The centrist president and nationalist far-right Meloni are not natural political allies. But as the leaders of the EU's second- and third-largest economies, they face similar challenges in the Ukraine war and US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs against the bloc. Meloni on Friday acknowledged "divergences" with Macron but denied she had any "personal problems" with him, and said she was "very happy" with the visit. An Italian government source said Rome and Paris hoped to "lay the foundations for a further strengthening of relations" between two nations "on the front line of the various fronts of international politics". Macron's office said Italy was "an important partner" with "a crucial role to play in European decisions", particularly in the Ukrainian conflict. Despite their political rivalry, the French presidency said the two leaders were showing they were "capable of moving forward together on the essentials". Their cooperation has been sorely tested by Trump, with the pair disagreeing over how to deal with the US president on both tariffs and Ukraine. Meloni and Macron have and "undeniable rivalry", said Marc Lazar, a professor at Sciences Po university in Paris. He said the pair were following different strategies with Meloni seeking "mediation and compromise" with the US president and Macron favouring "unwavering firmness". Rome "believes that because it is ideologically close to the US administration... it will be able to force it to back down on trade tariffs", he told AFP. But while Paris says it has "respect" for those who can "maintain the best possible relationship with President Trump", it insists trade negotiations are the responsibility of the European Commission effectively sidelining Meloni as a would-be mediator. On Ukraine, Macron presents himself as the EU's go-to man on the issue, speaking to Trump regularly and invoking the relationship developed during the billionaire's first term. And he has seriously ruffled feathers in Rome with his attempts to put together a "coalition of the willing" ready to provide "security guarantees" to Ukraine. In recent weeks, the French president's meetings on the Russian invasion with the British, German and Polish leaders but without Meloni have ratcheted up tensions. Paris says that "between Europeans, the issue of formats must be arranged to achieve the best impact we can under the circumstances". It says that Italy has always insisted the US take part. But Lazar notes that as a nuclear power with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, France sees itself as less dependent on the United States. The mood was not helped when an adviser to Macron dismissed Italy's proposal to grant Ukraine protection under Article 5 of the NATO treaty without Kyiv joining the military alliance itself. The article stipulates that if one member is attacked all the others must act as if they too were attacked. While that idea "deserves discussion", it would in practice be very hard to implement, Lazar said, not least "because if the Trump administration refuses Ukraine's accession, it is precisely because it does not want to implement Article 5 for Ukraine's benefit". ff/ide/ar/jxb
France 24
5 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Protecting Colombia's Rio Atrato: 'If the river does not function well, neither can life'
An environmentalist who's been fighting for the protection of Colombia's Atrato River has spoken to FRANCE 24 about why the waterway is vital for the environment and for the local Indigenous community. The Atrato was protected nearly 10 years ago after people got together to persuade Colombia's constitutional court to force the government to take action. Special protections are now in place. But campaigners say the measures do not go far enough. Rodrigo Rogelis, researcher and deputy director of the SIEMBRA socio-legal centre, is currently in Paris to speak at Sciences Po university. He spoke to us in Perspective.
LeMonde
26-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Historian returning from Gaza: 'The most shocking thing is the gap with the outside world's perception'
Between December 19, 2024, and January 21, 2025, French historian Jean-Pierre Filiu, who writes a weekly column on the Middle East in Le Monde, was able to go to the Gaza Strip. The professor at Sciences Po university is publishing his eyewitness account in a book, Un historien à Gaza ("A Historian in Gaza"), set to be released this week in French. On Monday, May 26, Filiu answered questions from Le Monde 's readers. Here is a translation of the Q&A originally published in a liveblog in French. Menton: What event shocked you the most during your time in Gaza? I was in Gaza from December 19, 2024, to February 21, 2025 – a full month of open hostilities, plus two days of truce. The paradox is that the most violent days were those preceding the truce coming into effect, on January 19. The Israelis intensified the bombings, sometimes very close to where I was staying, while the outside world had been celebrating the announcement of a ceasefire since January 15. The most shocking thing I experienced is the gap between the ordeals experienced in Gaza and the outside world's perception. Empathie: How are orphans being cared for in Gaza at the moment? Is there any estimate of their numbers? The tragedy of Gaza's orphans is one of the worst disasters unfolding within the broader tragedy of the besieged enclave. The number of orphans is the subject of much debate due to the collapse of the health system and the disappearance of entire families, sometimes with only one surviving child. The society, which I once knew to be so protective within its family structures, has itself collapsed under the weight of widespread slaughter and repeated displacements. Wounded orphans are left abandoned in hospitals with no relatives, not even distant ones, coming to claim them. Bands of street children haunt public dumps, scavenging nylon and wood to resell as fuel. Vajra: How did you enter the Gaza Strip and how did you leave? I have been traveling to Gaza for many years, always with the approval of the Israeli authorities as part of what is called a "coordination," generally granted the evening before for the next morning. This time, I was integrated into the local team of Doctors Without Borders, which is doing extraordinary work in Gaza and which I assisted thanks to my intimate knowledge of the enclave. I boarded a bus "coordinated" by the United Nations, departing from Amman, the capital of Jordan, along with about 20 other aid workers. Once admitted into Israel in another bus, we were "escorted" by the Israeli military police to Kerem Shalom, the Israeli entry point into the Gaza Strip, where we were then transferred to a UN convoy. We were only allowed to bring personal medication and 3 kilos of food (with no more than 1 kilo per product). I left Gaza following a similar "coordination" and by the reverse route. When there are bombings, we hear about wounded people being taken to the hospital, even though most hospitals are out of service. Can you describe the conditions in which the wounded are treated? The 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been hit hard by the bombings and, for some, by temporary occupation by Israeli soldiers. Some of these hospitals managed to recover from such shocks and resume operations, albeit under extreme conditions. The courage and experience of healthcare workers have enabled hospital facilities to keep functioning, despite ongoing shortages of medicines, painkillers, and medical supplies in general. But they have paid a terrible price for such dedication, with more than 1,000 doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff killed. The most threatened and targeted are the first responders who rush to the sites of strikes, but they are not spared either. Akinator: Could you share with us how the population of Gaza perceives Hamas? Have recent events fueled opposition to the group, or have they instead fostered greater solidarity in the enclave? Opposition to Hamas had already been very strong in Gaza for many years, due to the rejection of the authoritarianism and cronyism of the Islamist movement. The elections scheduled for 2021 would have resulted in a resounding defeat for Hamas at the polls in Gaza, but the United States and the European Union agreed to let the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah postpone these elections indefinitely to keep President Mahmoud Abbas at the head of the PA. It is, in my view, unquestionable that Hamas, through its terrorist campaign of October 7, 2023, was also seeking to strengthen its grip on Gaza's population, who would pay the heaviest price for the Israeli reprisals. Gaza's residents use the term "drones" to describe the Hamas men enforcing "order" in the enclave. Their favorite punishment is shooting their opponents in the kneecaps. Gaza was recently the scene of popular, spontaneous protests against Hamas, which managed to suppress this unprecedented dissent due to the continuation, and even intensification, of Israeli bombings. Geraldine: The destruction seems so massive that one wonders what ordinary life is left in Gaza. Are there still functioning banks, do people work and get paid? Or are all Gazans in pure survival mode? The daily existence of Gaza's men and women is indeed akin to a constant struggle for survival, always hoping in vain for a lasting ceasefire (not just a brief truce like from January 19 to March 2). Salaries are still generally paid to local institution staff and international organization employees. These are bank transfers that, via electronic payment applications, allow people to pay vendors connected to such apps. As for cash, it exists almost exclusively in the Israeli currency, the shekel. There are even "repairers" who preserve the bills in circulation. But these are only stopgap measures in a situation of total, widespread distress. Curieux: Regarding the distribution of humanitarian aid, Israel tells us that it is systematically diverted by Hamas. What have you observed in this regard? It must first be noted that the Israeli army knows very little about the situation on the ground in the Gaza Strip, where it now has virtually no reliable sources or "collaborators," unlike during the long period of ground occupation of the territory from 1967 to 2005. The Israeli government designated the entire enclave as a "hostile entity" after Hamas took control in 2007. For two decades, no Israeli has entered Gaza except in a tank, which is not the best way to build trust with the local population. Constant drone surveillance cannot make up for this severe lack of human intelligence, which largely contributed to the collapse of Israeli security on October 7, 2023. This is why Israeli claims, including those about humanitarian aid, are much closer to propaganda than information. None of the many institutions involved in humanitarian assistance to Gaza's population has been able to confirm Israeli allegations of systematic diversion. During my stay, I documented many cases where gangs of looters, armed and supported by Israel, attacked humanitarian convoys. Bruno: Do you still have hope for Gaza? What could this meager hope rest upon, if it exists? It is fundamentally the courage and dignity of Gaza's men and women, even when plunged into such horror, that give me reasons to hope, despite everything. The fact that they have managed to preserve their humanity, more or less intact, in such a disaster commands respect. But let us acknowledge that our world has abandoned them for far too long. And this tragedy, which has literally unfolded before our eyes, will now haunt us. It is all the more urgent to act for an immediate ceasefire, with the release of hostages and withdrawal of the Israeli army. The key to lasting calm, however, lies in lifting the blockade, which, imposed for 16 long years, did not prevent the bloodiest day in Israel's history, on October 7, 2023. It is imperative for Gaza to return to the world and for the world to return to Gaza. Then anything will be possible, within the framework of Israel coexisting with a peaceful, demilitarized Palestinian state.
