The Vatican announced on Thursday that Pope Francis will meet with leaders from the United States, Ukraine, France, India, and other nations on the sidelines of the Group of 7 (G7) summit in Italy. On Friday, he will participate in discussions regarding the new technology, including artificial intelligence, which he previously cautioned against in January due to its “perverse” dangers. This marks the first time a pope has joined G7 discussions.
The Vatican’s schedule for Francis’ one-day visit includes a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, who shares his Catholic faith. Additionally, Francis will have individual meetings with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, France’s Emmanuel Macron, India’s Narendra Modi, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Canada’s Justin Trudeau, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kenya’s William Ruto, Algeria’s Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and Kristalina Georgieva, head of the International Monetary Fund.
Francis and Biden previously met at the Vatican in 2021, where the pope reportedly affirmed Biden’s status as a “good Catholic” despite some U.S. bishops’ opposition due to Biden’s stance on abortion rights. They also discussed the Middle East crisis in October of last year following Hamas’ attack on Israel. Biden has expressed deep respect for the pope, highlighting his empathy and integrity, and mentioned that they maintain regular communication. In November 2020, following Biden’s election, Pope Francis extended his blessings and congratulations during a phone call.
