United States Vice President JD VANCE He met on Friday with the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome for a second day of talks on rates and then attended the Vatican Friday Friday services in the midst of the speculation of a possible greeting of the pope this weekend.
« I missed you, » Meloni joked Vance as he entered the courtyard of Chigi Palace, the Prime Minister’s office.
They had been seen only the day before the Oval Office, where Trump praised the Italian leader for his repression of migration, but did not produce fares that have increased tensions with the European Union and have prevented the recession fears.
The White House and the Meloni office issued a joint statement on Friday saying that Trump would visit Italy « in the very close future. »
« There is also consideration to hold, on these occasions, a meeting between the United States and Europe, » the statement said.
Vance, a Catholic Conversion, later attended Good Friday services with his wife and three children in the Basilica of Saint Peter, and was expected to meet with the Secretary of State for the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday.
Get National News
For the news that affects Canada and the whole world, sign up for the news alerts that give you directly when they pass.
No meeting was officially announced with Pope Francis and the pontiff did not attend the Solemn Service, two hours on Friday, which was chaired by a Cardinal of the Vatican. The 88 -year -old Pope has suddenly reduced his work calendar when he recovers from an almost fatal case of double pneumonia and his participation in Easter services at the weekend is uncertain.
Francis, however, recently met with King Charles III and officials have not ruled out a possible audience with Vance, who has criticized Francis on social media in the past, although he recently offered prayers for his recovery.
Francis and Vance have been suddenly involved in Migration and Plans of the Trump administration to deport mass migrants. Francis has made the care of migrants a badge of his papacy and progressive opinions on social justice issues, often disagreed with members of the most conservative Catholic Church in the United States.
A few days before being hospitalized in February, Francis exploited the Trump administration deportation plans, warning that migrants would be deprived of his inherent dignity. In a letter to the bishops of the United States, Francis also responded to Vance directly for claiming that Catholic doctrine justified these policies.
Vance had defended the first repression of America by the administration citing a concept of medieval Catholic theology known in Latin as « Ordo Amoris ». He said that the concept delimits a hierarchy of attention: to the first family, followed by a neighbor, community, colleagues citizens and, finally, the other places.
In his February 10 letter, Francis seemed to correct Vance’s understanding of the concept.
« Christian Love is not a concentric expansion of interests that extends slowly to other people and groups, » he wrote. « The true Ordo Amoris to be promoted is what we constantly discover in the parable of the » good Samarian « , that is, meditating the love that builds a fraternity open to everyone, without exception. »
Vance has recognized Francis’s criticism, but said he would continue to defend his opinions.
« I am grateful every day for this work, but especially today when my official functions have taken me to Rome on Good Friday, » Vance published X. « I wish all Christians around the world, but in particular those who return home in the United States, a well -blessed Friday. »
On Friday, the Crucifixion of Christ commemorates and is marked by the Vatican with a service full of Latin in Sant Pere and a procession of nocturnal torches at the Coliseum.
Meloni has positioned himself as a bridge between the administration of Trump and Europe and was the leader of the Lonely EU to attend his inauguration. As head of a far -right party, he aligns with Trump ideologically in issues such as the braking of migration and promoting traditional values. But Italy and the United States have been diverged by the strong support of Meloni in Ukraine, while Trump’s threat has been pressed on Meloni to defend EU commercial interests on behalf of the blog.
A bonus market panic led Trump to retire partially from his rates, pausing his 20% import taxes in the EU for 90 days and charged 10% of reference. But Trump said on Thursday that he was in no hurry to reach an agreement.
On Friday, Vance reaffirmed United States friendship and told Meloni that he informed him of some « interesting » news in Russia-Ukraine negotiations. « Great trade negotiations » would continue, he said.
Like Trump, Vance seemed dazzled by Meloni’s Italian language, although he did not understand what he said.
« Of course, I could have called foolishness and I would not know, but it would be in the most beautiful language imaginable, so I would not even offend me, » he said at the beginning of his conversations.
& Copy 2025 The Canadian Press
Leave a Reply