The historic Quirinale Treaty inked by Italy and France last year cements bilateral cooperation and helps the two nations tackle the new challenges posed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said on Thursday.
"Our two countries have travelled together on a beautiful journey, one that led to the Quirinale Treaty," Di Maio told his French counterpart Catherine Colonna, referring to the wide-ranging friendship pact signed last November between France and Italy to boost bilateral cooperation.
"This a very important new departure which further strengthens relations between our two countries," Di Maio stated.
Di Maio and Colonna met on the sidelines of a meeting in Paris of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD)'s Ministerial Council, which Italy is chairing this year.
"We now face new challenges, which arise from the quest for peace in Ukraine," Di Maio said, referring to Russia's 106-day-old invasion the former Soviet republic.
"I am sure we will take on these challenges in complete synergy and with full cooperation," said Di Maio.
