US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Pope Francis on Wednesday morning at the Vatican.
While the Holy See did not comment on the nature of the hearing, the State Department said the dialogue focused on ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as part of a broader European diplomatic tour.
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During the meeting at the Vatican on November 27, Blinken reportedly referenced “wonderful memories” of his previous meeting with Pope Francis in June 2021, highlighting the ongoing dialogue between the Holy See and Washington on matters of shared interest.
Key agenda items included the recently announced ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and efforts to address the humanitarian repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a State Department statement shared with reporters.
The meeting was followed by separate conversations with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, and with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
The context of the G7 and European tour
Blinken’s visit to the Vatican came amid his attendance at the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Italy, where representatives of the world’s leading democratic economies are meeting to address multiple international crises.
The G7 discussions, which will take place from November 23 to 27 under Italy’s rotating presidency in 2024, have largely focused on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as Indo-Pacific security and the ongoing crises in Haiti and Sudan.
Last Saturday, G7 leaders reinforced their commitment to supporting Ukraine through continued sanctions against Russia, among other measures.
Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7. The other member states are the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Great Britain.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Anian Christoph Wimmer
Anian Christoph Wimmer, a multilingual Australian with Bavarian roots, is the editor-in-chief of CNA Deutsch. He held senior positions at Australia’s SBS and was editor-in-chief of the historic Münchner Kirchenzeitung. Graduated in Philosophy and Chinese Studies from the University of Melbourne, Anian Christoph Wimmer was on the jury for the Catholic Media Award of the German Bishops’ Conference and was an honorary researcher in Communications at the University of Melbourne. He has served on the Board of Directors of Caritas in Munich.