From Vatican News:
As he arrived in Italy on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio headed to the Vatican, where he met in the Apostolic Palace with Pope Leo XIV.
According to a communique from the Holy See Press Office, the “cordial discussions” saw both states renew “their shared commitment to cultivate good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America.”
Their encounter also included “an exchange of views on the regional and international situation, with particular attention to countries marked by war, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as on the need to work tirelessly for peace.”
Separately, the Holy See Press Office said discussions about countries enduring war included some African and Middle Eastern countries, such as Lebanon and Iran.
They also spoke about Cuba, which has seen hightened tensions with the US recently.
EWTN offers some context:
This week Trump expressed his desire that Rubio tell the pope that “Iran cannot have nuclear weapons.” The president has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that Leo wants the Middle Eastern country to develop nuclear armaments.
Leo has rejected those allegations. On May 5 at Castel Gandolfo he stated that the Church “has spoken for years against all nuclear weapons.” On Wednesday, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the Holy See “has always worked, and will continue to work, on nuclear disarmament.”
It may be a while before we know what they really discussed.
