Pope Francis and French president Emmanuel Macron spoke together by phone this afternoon, reaching a significant “convergence of views” on several issues, including how the European Union can respond in a united way to the coronavirus pandemic and the need for debt reduction in the developing world.
The president’s office said Pope Francis expressed his closeness and support to France, where Covid-19 has claimed more than 20,000 lives. It added that the pope hailed “the constructive responses taken by France at the international level after the health crisis caused by the pandemic.”
It also revealed that Pope Francis and President Macron agreed on the need for a global ceasefire in all conflicts. The U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the various parties in conflict in different countries to accept ceasefires and Pope Francis has publicly supported that appeal during Holy Week and on Easter Sunday.
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