Trump to meet Pope, Italy’s leaders in Rome

PanARMENIAN.Net - US President Donald Trump is due to hold talks with Pope Francis and Italy's top leaders in Rome on the third leg of his first oversees trip, BBC News reports.

Trump and the pontiff have already clashed at a distance on issues including migration and climate change.

Trump will also meet Italy's president and prime minister, before flying to Brussels for a Nato summit.

He earlier vowed to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace, as he ended the Middle East leg of his tour.

The US leader began his foreign trip with a two-day stop in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, urging Muslim countries to take the lead in combating radicalisation.

Trump is expected to meet Pope Francis at 06:30 GMT, before holding talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

This is Trump's first visit to Europe since he took office in January.

Security has been stepped up across Rome, with the areas around the Vatican City, the Italian presidential palace and the American ambassador's residence, where Trump is staying, temporarily closed to traffic.

Despite the heavy police presence, about 100 anti-Trump protesters held a rally in one of Rome's squares on Tuesday evening, May 23.

Later on Wednesday, Trump will fly to Brussels, where significant protests are expected.

For the EU and for Nato, this visit is about damage limitation with the fervent hope of establishing some kind of transatlantic chemistry, the BBC says.

Trump will end his tour on the Italian island of Sicily at the G7 summit on Friday.