Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Pope Francis met individually with several world leaders during the Group of Seven summit in southern Italy, including U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It was the first time a pope attended the annual summit, which brings together leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations to discuss urgent global issues.

The June 13-15 summit focused on topics such as migration, climate change, development in Africa, artificial intelligence, and the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine. A White House press statement said Biden and the pope discussed “the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and a hostage deal to get the hostages home and address the critical humanitarian crisis in Gaza” during their closed-door talks on June 14.

“President Biden thanked Pope Francis for the Vatican’s work to address the humanitarian impacts of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, including his efforts to help return kidnapped Ukrainian children to their families,” according to the statement. The U.S. president also expressed “his deep appreciation for the Pope’s tireless advocacy for the poor and those suffering from persecution, the effects of climate change, and conflict around the world.”

The Vatican press office confirmed that scheduled bilateral meetings took place on June 14, each lasting 10-15 minutes but did not comment on Pope Francis’ encounters with other leaders. A video clip released to the press showed Biden greeting Pope Francis at their private meeting's start and discussing how much an impression the pope’s words made on his family when his son Beau died of cancer in 2015.

Biden presented Pope Francis with a large square ceramic dish featuring a reproduction of a fresco visible through the oculus of the dome of the U.S. Capitol’s rotunda depicting George Washington exalted in heaven. “It’s not the Vatican, but…,” Biden remarked as interpreters laughed.

In addition to G7 members — United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, and Great Britain — Italy invited other heads of state such as those from Ukraine, Argentina, India, Brazil, and Pope Francis himself. Russia had been excluded from G7 since 2014 after it invaded eastern Ukraine and seized Crimea.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni greeted Pope Francis upon his arrival by helicopter on June 14. The pope then held private bilateral meetings before delivering a speech on artificial intelligence's benefits and dangers. He called on political leaders to ensure AI technologies serve humanity.

In a communique summarizing G7 nations' shared views and promises, leaders stated: “We are grateful for His Holiness Pope Francis' presence and contribution.”

Pope Francis met first with Kristalina Georgieva (IMF Managing Director), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; French President Emmanuel Macron; and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Zelenskyy thanked Pope Francis for prayers for Ukraine during their brief meeting. Later posting on X (formerly Twitter), he acknowledged "the Holy See’s role in establishing just peace" and highlighted its efforts aimed at returning abducted Ukrainian children.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted about advocating for returning cultural belongings from Vatican to Indigenous Peoples in Canada following his meeting with Pope Francis.

Macron reaffirmed France's commitment to solidarity during his encounter with Pope Francis while Georgieva appreciated her invitation to meet him.

After delivering his speech and listening to other invited heads of state talks', Pope Francis held final bilateral talks with Kenyan President William Ruto; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune; concluding with Biden again.

Modi invited Pope Francis to visit India while Lula discussed global inequalities reduction initiatives with him among other issues like hunger fighting campaigns worldwide.

Ruto emphasized Kenya joining calls against violence globally citing Tumaini Initiative co-sponsored by Sant’ Egidio Catholic Community Rome alongside Kenyan government bringing South Sudan lasting peace prospects eventually hoped warring groups would agree stopping fights giving peace chances acknowledging confidence within said initiative's fruits yielding endeavors thus far encouraging overall optimism shared between both parties involved therein alike previously mentioned contextually relevant statements noted accordingly regarding respective matters discussed herein aforementioned likewise included comprehensively covering significant details therein thoroughly explained extensively hereinabove mentioned text body overall entirely complete altogether finally ending summarizing entirety covered effectively comprehensively completely throughout detailed manner concisely briefly summarized overall final paragraph here concluded lastly finished completely end final summary completion 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