US Foreign Minister Blinken Flies To Italy To Attend The G7 And Meets Pope Francis

JAKARTA - United States (US) Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will travel to Italy over the weekend to attend a meeting of the big democracies Group of Seven (G7) next week.

The G7 leaders previously reaffirmed their promise to continue to charge Russia with their invasion of Ukraine through sanctions, export control and other actions, and pledged to support Kyiv as long as necessary.

The US State Department said Blinken would discuss various issues including the conflict in the Middle East, Russia's war against Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific security, and the ongoing crisis in Haiti and Sudan at a meeting in Italy.

During his trip on November 23-27, Blinken also plans to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican after the G7 negotiations, he said in a statement.

Italy will hold the position of G7-rotating president in 2024, which also includes the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, and Britain.