Cooperation between Italy and France in the field of defence is "a source of excellence at strategic level," premier Giorgia Meloni told a joint press briefing in Paris ahead of her first talks with France's president, Emmanuel Macron.
Meloni cited as an example of defence cooperation the Samp-T surface-to-air defence system, which Italy and France developed together.
"The Samp-T surface-to-air system is now operational in Ukraine and is an important contribution to the country's anti-aircraft defence, a concrete example of what Italy and France can do together," Meloni said.
"The system is key to defending civilians, innocent people, and we must be proud of having worked so swiftly to be able to have made this tool available in the shortest possible period of time," Meloni went on.
Macron also hailed the Samp-T system as "a concrete example of what France and Italy can do together at Ukraine's service".
"I hope our two countries will keep cooperating in this way," Macron stated.
