Carney Concludes Italy and Vatican Visit, Reaffirms Canada’s Role in Global Cooperation

ROME, ITALY — Prime Minister Mark Carney concluded his diplomatic visit to Italy and Vatican City on Sunday after attending the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and holding high-level meetings with leaders from around the world.

The Prime Minister attended the Mass at St. Peter’s Square alongside global counterparts, later meeting privately with Pope Leo XIV to thank him for his message of “unity, compassion, and peace.” The visit marked a symbolic moment in the early days of both leaders’ respective mandates.

While in Rome, Carney held bilateral meetings with Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reaffirming the strength of the Canada-Italy relationship and committing to enhanced trade, innovation, and defence cooperation.

The trip also included diplomatic talks with over a dozen other world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Key topics included:

• Expanding trade and commercial partnerships

• Bolstering energy security and stabilizing supply chains

• Reinforcing support for Ukraine’s sovereignty

• Advocating for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

• Strengthening Canada’s role in global defence and diplomacy

As the world prepares for next month’s G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Carney positioned Canada as a “stable, reliable, and innovative partner” with natural resource wealth and advanced technological capacity.

“In a more dangerous and divided world, Canada will work with its Allies and partners to grow our economies, defend Canadians’ interests, and address the most pressing global challenges,” said the Prime Minister.

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