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| President Barack Obama meets Pope Francis at the Vatican | President Barack Obama meets Pope Francis at the Vatican |
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| President Barack Obama has met Pope Francis at the Vatican for the first time as he continues his European tour dominated by the Ukraine crisis. | President Barack Obama has met Pope Francis at the Vatican for the first time as he continues his European tour dominated by the Ukraine crisis. |
| President Obama said it was a "great honour" to meet the pontiff and called himself a "great admirer" of Pope Francis as they shook hands before sitting down with their translators for their meeting. | |
| They are expected to discuss health care, economic inequality and contraception, according to Vatican officials. | They are expected to discuss health care, economic inequality and contraception, according to Vatican officials. |
| Mr Obama is set to meet Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi and president Giorgio Napolitano later today as he continues his six-day tour across Europe. | Mr Obama is set to meet Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi and president Giorgio Napolitano later today as he continues his six-day tour across Europe. |
| His visit comes against the backdrop of Russian intervention in the Crimean peninsula, which the Kremlin officially annexed following a controversial referendum considered "illegal" by the West and Kiev. | His visit comes against the backdrop of Russian intervention in the Crimean peninsula, which the Kremlin officially annexed following a controversial referendum considered "illegal" by the West and Kiev. |
| Yesterday, Mr Obama launched a robust defence of Western values to counter Moscow's "bullying" in Ukraine and warned further incursions would trigger a fresh round of sanctions. | Yesterday, Mr Obama launched a robust defence of Western values to counter Moscow's "bullying" in Ukraine and warned further incursions would trigger a fresh round of sanctions. |
| Earlier, the president said Russia was a "regional power" acting out of weakness, not strength, and called on President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate tensions and change course. | Earlier, the president said Russia was a "regional power" acting out of weakness, not strength, and called on President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate tensions and change course. |
| On Monday, world leaders of the G-7, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan, cancelled a planned G-8 meeting in the Russian city of Sochi. | On Monday, world leaders of the G-7, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan, cancelled a planned G-8 meeting in the Russian city of Sochi. |
| They will now meet in Brussels- excluding Russia- in June in a bid to isolate Mr Putin from international discussions. | They will now meet in Brussels- excluding Russia- in June in a bid to isolate Mr Putin from international discussions. |
| More follows | More follows |