Italian PM Conte confirms Friday meeting with French President Macron

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Thursday confirmed a planned meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. The statement came after a conciliatory phone call between the two politicians, Reuters reports. Conte had considered pushing back the visit amid a diplomatic spat that broke out with France after Italy closed its ports to a humanitarian migrant rescue ship earlier this week. “President Macron underscored that he did not say anything that was meant to offend Italy or the Italian people,” a statement from the Italian prime minister’s office said. It added that Macron and Conte agreed “that with the end-June EU summit looming, it is necessary that new initiatives are discussed together.”