Giorgia Meloni has clashed with Emmanuel Macron over an Anglo-French plan to deploy European troops to Ukraine as part of a post-war deal, the Telegraph can reveal.

Their row broke out during an emergency video call between European Union leaders on Wednesday to discuss the French president’s recent talks with Donald Trump.

Mr Macron told his EU counterparts that he had raised the possibility of the bloc’s member states deploying troops as part of a European reassurance force to deter Russia from future attacks on Ukraine, according to diplomatic sources.

At this point, Ms Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, “interjected”, accusing the French leader of speaking on her behalf without a “mandate”, a source said.

The French president was said to have hit back, insisting he “certainly had not” spoken out of turn and said any troop deployments would be a “national decision”.

Their dispute highlights the splits between European nations as they scramble to find a common response to Mr Trump’s shock announcement that he’d opened peace talks with Vladimir Putin.

His decision has sparked fears that a ceasefire deal which favours Russia could be struck without Ukraine or Europe at the negotiating table.

Mr Macron and Sir Keir Starmer have been working on a joint proposal to present to the US president involving a European force, mainly through air power, being used to enforce any peace settlement.

While the heavy lifting will be carried out by Paris, London and other European capitals, the French president and Prime Minister have appealed for an American “backstop” for the mission, including logistical, intelligence support and military protection.