Pope León XIV received Argentina’s President Javier Milei on Saturday at the Vatican, where particular emphasis was placed on “the fight against poverty and the commitment to social cohesion” during bilateral talks.

Milei has been on a European tour since Friday, with stops in Italy, the Vatican, Spain and France. On Monday, he will fly to Israel before returning to Madrid on Thursday.

On Saturday, he was received by Pope León XIV at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, followed by meetings with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the Undersecretary for Relations with States, Mirosław Wachowski, the Holy See confirmed.

“During the cordial discussions … mutual appreciation was expressed for the strong bilateral relationship and a shared desire to further strengthen it,” the Vatican said in a brief communiqué.

It went on to note that the meetings addressed “matters of common interest, including socio-economic developments, the fight against poverty and the commitment to social cohesion”, as well as “ongoing conflicts” and “the importance of urgent action in favour of peace,” without offering further detail.

In a video released by the Holy See, the pontiff can be heard welcoming the Argentine President in Spanish: “Muy buenos días, señor presidente, bienvenido.”

During the meeting, the Pope confirmed to Milei that he intends to visit Argentina, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni stated on social media platform X.

In the traditional exchange of gifts, Milei – a staunchly ultra-libertarian economist and proponent of sweeping deregulation – made his ideological leanings clear by presenting the Augustinian pontiff with a copy of Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek’s The Fatal Conceit.

He also gave the Pope a vicuña poncho made in Catamarca and two books by Spanish economist Jesús Huerta de Soto, a leading figure in the Austrian School of Economics and an intellectual reference point for Milei.

León XIV, the first American pope in history, previously served as a missionary and bishop in Peru – a country whose citizenship he holds – and maintains a strong interest in Latin America.

He was made cardinal by Buenos Aires-born Pope Francis, with whom Milei had public clashes before staging a reconciliation during a Vatican visit in February 2024.

Milei did not attend León XIV’s inaugural Mass at the Vatican on May 18, due to a scheduling clash with local legislative elections in Buenos Aires. Saturday’s meeting was therefore their first encounter.

– TIMES/AFP

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Argentine President Javier Milei has met with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican on Saturday, where they discussed the importance of urgent efforts towards achieving peace.

The Pope and Milei also spoke about bilateral relations, as well as “matters of common interest, such as social-economic progress, the fight against poverty, and the commitment to social cohesion,” a statement by the Holy See Press Office noted.

After his meeting with the pope, the Argentine President met with the Vatican Secretary of State cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the Under-Secretary for Relations with States, Reverend Msgr. Mirosław Wachowski.

Milei arrived in Rome on Friday, the first stop of his 10-day European tour, where he attended the signing of a natural gas export deal, local media reported.

The event was also attended by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who hosted the Argentine president for a private dinner afterwards.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shakes hands with Argentina’s President Javier Milei in Rome, Italy, Friday, June 6, 2025. Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via AP

Shortly after his meeting with Pope Leo XIV, Milei departed for Spain, to attend the Madrid Economic Forum.

After Spain, the Argentine president will also visit France, and will end his trip in Israel, where he will receive an award in recognition of his support of Israel in a ceremony at the Knesset on 11 June.

Pope Leo XIV meets with Argentina’s President Javier Milei at the Vatican, June 7, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/­Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

Item 1 of 5 Pope Leo XIV meets with Argentina’s President Javier Milei at the Vatican, June 7, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/­Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

BUENOS AIRES, June 7 (Reuters) – Argentina’s President Javier Milei held his first official audience with Pope Leo at the Vatican on Saturday where he confirmed that the pontiff will visit the South American country, according to the presidential spokesman.

No further details of the planned visit were disclosed on Saturday.

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Milei had a tense relationship with Pope Francis , the late Argentine pope who never returned to his native country during his 12-year papacy, potentially signaling the start of a new diplomatic chapter.

“The Pope confirmed to the President during our recent meeting that he will visit Argentina,” Manuel Adorni, the presidential spokesperson wrote via social media.

The papal visit could take place as soon as next year, according to Argentina’s daily newspaper La Nación, as part of a tour that would include stops in Uruguay and Peru, where Leo, the first U.S. pope, resided for nearly 20 years.

Milei, a libertarian and ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was not present at the inauguration ceremony of the new head of the Catholic Church due to local legislative elections he was required to attend.

Discussions between the two parties on Saturday were described as “cordial” and addressed issues of “common interest such as socioeconomic progress, the fight against poverty, and the commitment to social cohesion, in addition to addressing ongoing conflicts,” the Vatican later said in a statement.

Reporting by Lucila Sigal in Buenos Aires. Writing by Lucinda Elliott. Editing by Louise Heavens

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Milei and Meloni meet for two hours in Rome

7th Saturday, June 2025 – 10:56 UTC Full article

The Argentine leader arrived earlier Friday in the Italian capital

Argentine President Javier Milei met Friday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Rome’s Palazzo Chigi to oversee the signing of an energy agreement between YPF and ENI for the “Argentina LNG” project, aimed at exploiting and exporting gas from Vaca Muerta using floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) technology.

The project, involving major companies like Shell and Pampa Energía, is expected to generate over US$ 100 billion in exports over 20 years, positioning the South American country as a top LNG exporter by 2031. Both companies are to reach the FID (Final Investment Decision) by December, it was also explained. This new step in the strategic relationship between both companies involves the joint association in the whole LNG value chain, from the production of gas from Vaca Muerta (Upstream), transportation, and liquefaction to its subsequent export through the “floating LNG” technology. The initiative involves the installation of two floating units with a capacity of 6 MTPA each (Million tons per year). The first vessel is expected to become operational in 2029.

Both heads of Government also adopted the Italy-Argentina Action Plan 2025-2030 to strengthen bilateral ties, focusing on shared values, EU-Mercosur collaboration, and issues like Ukraine and transnational crime.

Milei and Meloni held a two-hour encounter focused “on strengthening the already strong bilateral partnership between Italy and Argentina, founded on shared values and a deep historical-cultural bond between the two nations,” a joint statement read. They also “adopted today the Italy-Argentina Action Plan 2025-2030, which had been announced during the Premier’s visit to Buenos Aires in November 2024 – with the aim of giving greater impetus and strategic projection to the relationship between Italy and Argentina by identifying specific objectives and instruments,” it went on.

The Argentine leader arrived earlier Friday in the Italian capital alongside Presidential Secretary and sister Karina Milei and Spokesman Manuel Adorni.

On Saturday, Milei is to meet with Pope Leo XIV and then fly to Madrid for an Economic Forum, before going to Nice, France, for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, among other engagements. Then he will leave for Tel Aviv to ratify his support for Israel in the face of the terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and the anti-Semitic wave sweeping the world.

Milei will become the third Latin American president to meet with the new pontiff after Gustavo Petro of Colombia and Dina Boluarte of Peru.

Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV met with the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Monsignor Jorge García Cuerva, who during the May 25 celebrations underlined the critical situation of many Argentines under Milei following the Libertarian’s “chainsaw” adjustments.

The head of the Catholic Church has confirmed to President Javier Milei that he intends to visit Argentina during his papacy.

“Pope Leo XIV confirmed to the President of the Nation during the meeting they held a short while ago that he will visit Argentina,” said Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni in a post on social media, without providing further details on dates or itinerary.

Leo, 69, became leader of the Catholic Church earlier this year after the death of his predecessor, Buenos Aires-born Pope Francis, who never returned to his homeland after being elected pontiff.

Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago, is the first US pontiff, though he has a keen interest in South America after spending many years preaching in Peru and also holds Peruvian citizenship.

During his Saturday morning meeting with Milei at the Vatican, the duo discussed “topics of shared interest, including socio-economic trends, the fight against poverty and the commitment to social cohesion,” the Vatican said

This was the first formal engagement between the new pontiff and the Argentine head of state, following León XIV’s election as successor to Francis, who died in April.

Francis, who was born Jorge Bergoglio, was the first Latin American pope in history.

After the papal audience, Milei also held meetings with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and with the Undersecretary for Relations with States, Monsignor Miroslaw Wachowski, said a statement from the Vatican.

The Holy See emphasised the “mutual appreciation for strong bilateral relations” between the two states and expressed the desire to “strengthen them further,” according to an official communiqué.

Milei attended Pope Francis’s funeral on April 26, although he was not present at the inaugural Mass of León XIV’s papacy.

The 45-minute audience took place in a Vatican library and unfolded in a “cordial” atmosphere, both sides noted.

Milei is currently on a 10-day international tour with stops in Spain, France and Israel.

Topics

According to reports in domestic media outlets, the “topics of shared interest” on the table included socio-economic trends, the fight against poverty and the commitment to social cohesion.

Socio-political issues of both regional and international scope were also discussed, with particular emphasis on ongoing conflicts and the urgent need for a commitment to peace.

Milei was accompanied by his sister, Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei. Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, Argentina’s Ambassador to the Holy See Luis Beltramino and Adoni, his top spokesman.

As is custom, Argentina’s head of state gave the pontiff gifts. These included two books by Spanish ultra-libertarian economist Jesús Huerta de Soto, a leading figure in “anarcho-capitalist” approach to economics and politics that Milei subscribes too.

He also gave Leo a handwoven vicuña poncho, some local delicacies and a copy of a historical document dating back to 1642, along with a book on the Church of Saint Augustine in Buenos Aires written by Father Pablo Hernando Moreno.

– TIMES/NA