U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to the Vatican and Italy this week for a series of meetings, according to Italian media reports, in a visit that comes amid strained relations between Washington and parts of Europe and heightened tensions involving Pope Leo XIV.
Italian newspapers La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera reported that Rubio, who is Catholic, is likely to meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s chief diplomat. It remains unclear whether he will also meet Pope Leo XIV.
Rubio last met the pope in May 2025 alongside Vice President JD Vance, when both attended the inaugural Mass in St Peter’s Square and later held private talks with the pontiff.
In recent weeks, Pope Leo has taken a more visible role on the global stage. He has criticised the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran and voiced strong opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
President Donald Trump also drew attention in April after criticising the pope on social media, at one point calling him “terrible”.
During the visit, Rubio is also expected to meet Italy’s foreign and defence ministers. The reports suggest the trip is aimed at easing tensions following Trump’s recent criticism of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a key European ally.
The schedule has not been finalised, and a meeting with Meloni has not been ruled out.
The visit comes shortly after the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw around 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, the largest American military presence in Europe. The move has added to wider tensions linked to the conflict with Iran and ongoing trade disputes.
Italy remains one of the main hosts of U.S. forces in Europe, with nearly 13,000 troops stationed across six bases at the end of 2025.
Officials in Washington, the Vatican and Rome have not yet commented on the reported visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Fore...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 June, covering the latest developments you need to know....
As the 2026 World Cup kicked off on 11 June across North America, U.S. visa restrictions and travel policies have made it impossible for supporters, ...
Every June, roughly 13 million young people in China sit down at the same time to take the same test. They have been preparing for it, in many cases, ...
European museums are increasingly returning cultural artefacts to countries in Africa and the Middle East, as pressure grows to address the legacy of ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
As the 2026 World Cup kicked off on 11 June across North America, U.S. visa restrictions and travel policies have made it impossible for supporters, football officials and even a FIFA-appointed referee to attend. It's raised a lot of questions about access to such a high-profile global event.
Every June, roughly 13 million young people in China sit down at the same time to take the same test. They have been preparing for it, in many cases, since primary school. Their families have rearranged their lives around it.
SpaceX has made history with the largest initial public offering ever in the United States, pricing its shares at $135 each and achieving a market valuation of $1.77 trillion.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching consequences”, after India's water minister said New Delhi was working to ensure that “not a single drop” of water reaches Pakistan in the coming years.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
Armenia has every right to choose Europe. But Europe’s support for Armenia’s direction should not become automatic approval of its political process.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
Every June, roughly 13 million young people in China sit down at the same time to take the same test. They have been preparing for it, in many cases, since primary school. Their families have rearranged their lives around it.
European museums are increasingly returning cultural artefacts to countries in Africa and the Middle East, as pressure grows to address the legacy of colonialism and disputed ownership.
Uganda’s health ministry has raised concerns over what it described as unfair travel restrictions imposed during the current Ebola outbreak, warning that such measures risk undermining transparent reporting. .
Georgia is overhauling its migration laws in one of the most significant legal reforms in years, introducing criminal penalties for fake marriages, tighter controls on foreign students and expanded investigative powers for the migration authorities.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment