Pope Francis is scheduled to hold meetings with leaders from the United States, Ukraine, France, India, and other nations during the Group of 7 (G7) summit in Italy, as confirmed by the Vatican on Thursday.
The pontiff, who has previously expressed concerns about artificial intelligence, will engage in discussions on this topic on Friday. This event is significant as it marks the first time a pope has participated in G7 discussions.
According to the Vatican’s released itinerary for his one-day visit, Pope Francis will have a private meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, who shares the same faith. Additionally, he will have one-on-one meetings with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kenya’s President William Ruto, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund.
Pope Francis and President Biden previously met at the Vatican in 2021, where the pope assured Biden of his standing as a “good Catholic” and his eligibility to receive communion despite opposition from some U.S. bishops due to his views on abortion rights.
During their meeting, the two leaders discussed the Middle East crisis that arose from Hamas’ attack on Israel in October of last year. President Biden has expressed his profound admiration for Pope Francis, commending his empathy and characterizing him as a “noble individual.” Biden has mentioned that they maintain regular communication.
In November 2020, shortly after Biden’s election, Pope Francis conveyed his blessings and congratulations to the new president during a phone call.
Source: Pope Francis to meet at G7 summit with Biden, Zelenskiy, Macron, Modi (msn.com)
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