France summons Italian ambassador over Macron attack

PARIS - France summoned Italy's ambassador following "unacceptable" comments by Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini mocking President Emmanuel Macron for supporting Ukraine, diplomatic sources said Friday.

Ambassador Emanuela D'Alessandro was summoned Thursday after Salvini, whose party is a junior partner in the Italian government, said that if Macron favours sending European troops to Ukraine as a part of a security force, he can put on a helmet and "go himself".

"The ambassador was reminded that these remarks went against the climate of trust and the historical relationship between our two countries, but also against recent bilateral developments, which have highlighted strong convergences between the two countries, particularly with regard to unwavering support for Ukraine," the source said.

Salvini, whose anti-migrant Lega party has been languishing in polls, had already called the French president a "madman" in March, accusing him of pushing Europe into war with Russia.

France and Britain have led "coalition of the willing" nations giving military support to Ukraine and discussing the possible deployment of troops as a security force if a ceasefire is reached between Russia and Ukraine.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has rebuffed invitations to join.