2 official amid tensions over the U.S. crackdown on migrants, with the Holy See reaffirming good relations but noting "an exchange of opinions" over current international conflicts, migrants and prisoners.Related video above: Pope Francis thanks people for their prayers in audio message (03/07/25)Vance, a Catholic convert, met with the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, in the Apostolic Palace. "The Holy See has responded cautiously to the Trump administration while seeking to continue productive relations in keeping with its tradition of diplomatic neutrality.It has expressed alarm over the administration's crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.Those concerns were reflected in the Vatican statement, which said the talks were cordial and that the Vatican expressed satisfaction with the administration's commitment to protecting freedom of religion and conscience. "It is clear that the approach of the current U.S. administration is very different from what we are used to and, especially in the West, from what we have relied on for many years," Parolin told La Repubblica daily on the eve of Vance's visit.As the U.S. pushes to end the war in Ukraine, Parolin reaffirmed Kyiv's right to its territorial integrity and insisted that any peace deal must not be "imposed" on Ukraine but "is built patiently, day by day, with dialogue and mutual respect.
Author: Nicole Winfield
Published at: 2025-04-19 19:54:22
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