French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Pope Leo XIV for the first time at the Vatican, amidst a backdrop of international tensions over the Iran war.
The meeting, scheduled for Friday, will focus on a range of topics including international affairs, climate change, and humanitarian issues.
Macron's visit comes as the French leader seeks to rebuild an international society based on rules, in contrast to the 'brutality and chaos' of the current geopolitical environment.
The meeting with Pope Leo, who has been more outspoken in opposing US President Donald Trump's foreign policy, may call for a change in style for Macron, who enjoyed a close relationship with Pope Francis.
Macron's delegation includes a former president of a commission on church sex abuse in France, and the issue of assisted dying and euthanasia may also be raised in the meeting.
