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.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will “soon be reviewing” a new 14-point proposal sent by Iran, casting doubt on the chances of a deal after Tehran called for security guarantees, an end to naval blockades and a halt to the war across the region, including in Lebanon.
Israel has approved a major defence deal to purchase new squadrons of advanced fighter jets from U.S. manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the country’s defence ministry said on Sunday (3 May).
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
China has moved to block U.S. sanctions on five of its oil refineries, in a fresh escalation of tensions over trade and energy policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he was "not satisfied" with Iran's latest peace proposal, which was delivered to Washington via Pakistani mediators on Friday (1 May).
President Trump has issued a warning to the international community, claiming a nuclear-armed Iran would strike Israel "very quickly" before targeting Europe and the United States.
Ukraine is monitoring “unusual activity” along its border with Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement released on Saturday (2 May). He warned that Kyiv is ready to respond if necessary amid continued regional tensions linked to Russia’s war.
Hundreds of young people in South Korea have gathered in Seoul to take part in a city-backed “power nap contest”, aimed at drawing attention to the country’s chronic sleep deprivation.
Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz is set to visit Armenia in early May to take part in the 8th European Political Community Summit, in what will be the highest-level Turkish visit to the country to date. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly expected to miss the forum.
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
China has moved to block U.S. sanctions on five of its oil refineries, in a fresh escalation of tensions over trade and energy policy.
Germany has said a planned reduction of U.S. troops should push Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defence, as concerns grow in Washington over the impact of the move on regional security.
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Ukraine is monitoring “unusual activity” along its border with Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement released on Saturday (2 May). He warned that Kyiv is ready to respond if necessary amid continued regional tensions linked to Russia’s war.
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