@nytimes

On Friday, President Biden was welcomed by papal officials as he arrived at the Vatican, where he met with Pope Francis to discuss global challenges like the pandemic and climate change. The meeting — the president’s first with Francis since his inauguration — had deep emotional resonance for Biden, a Catholic. The president and the pope share common ground on many issues, and Biden seemed visibly excited as he headed into a private meeting, which lasted 90 minutes. During their meeting, Biden thanked Francis for his advocacy for the world’s poor and people suffering from hunger, conflict and persecution, the White House said, adding that he had also lauded the pope’s leadership in the climate crisis and his advocacy on coronavirus vaccines. The Vatican visit was the prelude to a five-day diplomatic marathon that is crucial not just for Biden, but also for the world. This weekend, at the Group of 20 summit of the world’s largest economies, leaders will gather amid a pandemic in which inequalities are increasingly stark and as supply chain woes and rising energy prices threaten economies worldwide. After that, Biden and many of the same leaders will travel to Scotland for COP26, a worldwide summit on climate change that is billed by many as a make-or-break moment to save a warming planet from disaster. Tap the link in our bio for the latest on Biden’s trip to Europe. Photo by @erinschaff

October 30, 2021