Pope Francis is set to make a historic appearance at the G7 summit in Italy, where he will meet with several world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and India’s Narendra Modi. This marks the first time a pope has attended a Group of Seven summit.
Invited by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Pope Francis will address a session on artificial intelligence (AI) in Puglia on Friday. The 87-year-old pontiff is scheduled to arrive by helicopter at 12:30 PM local time (10:30 GMT). During his visit, he is also expected to discuss the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine in a series of bilateral meetings.
In addition to Biden, Zelensky, and Modi, Pope Francis will hold talks with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. Private meetings are also planned with Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
While Pope Francis regularly advocates for peace, the Vatican’s efforts to mediate a diplomatic resolution in Ukraine have yet to succeed.
The G7 summit, which includes leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US, is taking place on Thursday and Friday at the luxurious seaside resort of Borgo Egnazia in southern Italy.