Pope criticizes US bid to 'break apart' US-Europe alliance, insists on Europe role in Ukraine peace

Pope Leo XIV insisted Tuesday that Europe must have a role in any Ukraine peace deal and criticized what he said was the Trump administration’s effort to “break apart” the long-standing U.S.-European alliance. Leo spoke to reporters after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is on another tour to rally European support for Kyiv. The American pope said they discussed the need for a ceasefire and the Vatican’s efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities.