Italy's new prime minister meets with French president

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) – Italy’s new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met Sunday with French President Emmanuel Macron for the first time.

The informal meeting between Meloni, the country’s first female premier, and Macron was part of his visit to Rome.

The meeting, which lasted for more than an hour, was "sincere and productive," the Italian Prime Ministry said in a statement.

The two leaders discussed the need for a rapid and shared response to high energy costs, support for Ukraine, the difficult economic situation and irregular migration.

They agreed on the willingness to continue to cooperate on common challenges in Europe and in terms of mutual national interests.

Macron said on Twitter that the two countries had to continue to work together "with dialogue and ambition."

On Sunday, Italy’s new government was officially sworn in. Along with Meloni, 24 Cabinet ministers, including six women, took their oaths of office before President Sergio Mattarella in Rome.

Meloni, 45, vowed during the ceremony to serve her country with pride.

After officially succeeding former Prime Minister Mario Draghi, she is expected to lead the first meeting of her new Cabinet on Sunday afternoon.

Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party won a plurality of the vote in the Sept. 25 general elections, and she formed a right-wing coalition government on Friday.