France, June 25 -- Meloni, one of Europe's most prominent right-wing leaders, is due to arrive on the French Riviera on Thursday for her first bilateral summit with Macron. The meeting comes at a delicate moment for the Italian premier, shortly after a public fallout with US President Donald Trump, and at a time when France and Italy are looking to deepen cooperation on some of Europe's most pressing strategic challenges.

The talks will be held at the Villa Eilenroc, a striking 19th-century residence overlooking the Mediterranean. It will be the first such meeting since a treaty on a strategic alliance between France and Italy came into force in 2021, putting bilateral relations on a more ambitious footing and bringing them closer to the...