Leaders of Italy, France, Germany meet to launch post-Brexit path

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) and French President Francois Hollande (L) pose on the Italian aircraft carrier Garibaldi off the coast of Ventotene island, central Italy, August 22, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

ROME - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi met with German and French leaders near Naples on Monday, in a mini-summit aimed to revamp the European Union (EU) after the Brexit vote.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande were hosted in Ventotene island off Naples.

A joint press conference was later held on board of Italian navy's aircraft carrier Garibaldi, which serves as a flagship in the EU's migrant rescue mission deployed in the Mediterranean.

"Many believed Europe was over after the Brexit. Yet, it is not so," Renzi said, "We respect the choice of the Britons, but we want to write our future."

Further European integration should rest on common defence, shared intelligence and strong measures to revamp economic growth, Renzi added.

"We have to address these top priorities, along with (a plan of) high quality investments combined with structural reforms," the Italian prime minister said.

The three leaders discussed other major challenges, including Europe's migration crisis and youth unemployment.

The leaders briefly met in Berlin on June 27, for a first show of unity of the EU's three founding members soon after the shocking results of the British referendum.