French president Emmanuel Macron will hold talks in Rome next week with Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte that are aimed at turning a new page in bilateral relations after months of tensions during the previous populist government.
No official date has yet been set for the meeting between Conte and Macron, but it could be 18 September, sources said.
The last bilateral summit between Italy and France was in 2017 and it is understood the two leaders may agree to organise a new one during their talks in Rome.
At the weekend, France's foreign minister Yves Le Drian wrote to Italy's new foreign minister Luigi Di Maio, saying he hoped their countries would have "more constructive" ties during the new, centre-left populist administration that took office on Thursday.
In February, France withdrew its ambassador to Italy, Christian Masset, for a week amid the biggest diplomatic rift since World War II between the two traditionally close allies.
Masset's recall came shortly after Di Maio met members of France’s Yellow Vest movement, which has mounted a sometimes violent months-long campaign against Macron’s reform programme.
Paris also criticised "baseless" attacks by Di Maio and rightwing League leader Matteo Salvini aimed at Macron and his government, mostly over migration policy during the previous coalition government.
Di Maio and Salvini were deputy premiers in Italy's previous coalition government led by premier Giuseppe Conte which took office in June 2018 and collapsed last month.
Di Maio was also economic development minister in the last Conte coalition government between the 5-Star Movement and the League party while Salvini served as interior minister.
