Macron plays down ‘misunderstandings’ with Italy

French President Emmanuel Macron played down recent diplomatic tensions between Rome and Paris as mere "misunderstandings" on Sunday night.

"The latest [events] aren't serious," Macron said in a primetime interview aired on the main channel of Italy's public broadcaster, Rai 1. "We must move past them."

France last month recalled its ambassador to Italy after what Paris described as “repeated, baseless attacks” from the ruling Italian parties. The ministry said at the time that such attacks were "unprecedented" since World War II. French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian later referred to Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio's trip to France to meet leaders of the Yellow Jackets protest movement as an "episode too many."

In the interview Sunday, Macron did not mention Di Maio or Matteo Salvini, Italy's other deputy prime minister, by name, but said there "can be times when friends don't understand each other."

He said he spoke to Italian President Sergio Mattarella and announced "he will visit Paris on May 2 to celebrate Leonardo da Vinci's 500th birthday and we'll talk about Europe and our common future."

Macron also showed sympathy toward Italians who "fear" immigration: "The EU is responsible for having been incapable of listening to Italians' fears and didn't help Italy with the burden it faced" during the height of the migration crisis, he said.

On Italian domestic issues, Macron said the high-speed rail connection between Turin and Lyon which the 5Stars are pushing to block should be completed as "it's awaited by many and it's an important infrastructure for those regions."

He then dodged a question on the EU's fiscal rules, which are constantly criticized by Italy's populist government, by saying "it's the current form of capitalism that doesn't work."

"The EU's democratic structure has caused the middle class to feel left behind as the rich became richer and the state took care of the poor ... which also explains Brexit," Macron said.

At the end of the interview, Macron took up the interviewer's offer and addressed Italians by speaking into the camera: "You must put your heart and soul into this, I'm not saying it will be easy but we must build history together," he said. "Between our two countries there's always been love and friendship. Love will allow us to overcome all obstacles."