European leaders presented a united front at their White House summit last week with President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, agreeing on the need for security guarantees for Ukraine to eventually end its war with Russia. But within days, the “coalition of the willing” began to fray over the issue of sending troops into the war region.
The discord came into full view Friday when Matteo Salvini, a chief lieutenant in the government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, mocked French President Emmanuel Macron for suggesting European soldiers could be deployed on the ground in Ukraine as part of a security deal.
“You go there if you want to,” said Salvini, referring to Macron. “Put your helmet on, your jacket, get your rifle, and you go to Ukraine.”
The remark reportedly resulted in France summoning Italy’s ambassador on Friday to lodge a formal complaint over Salvini’s remarks.
“The ambassador was reminded that these remarks ran counter to the climate of trust and the historical relationship between our two countries, as well as to recent bilateral developments, which have highlighted strong convergences between the two countries, particularly with regard to unwavering support for Ukraine,” a source told Reuters.
The hastily assembled White House meeting Monday included leaders of Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K., plus the head of NATO and the European Commission, in addition to Trump and Zelensky.
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Author: Ray Hilbrich
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