Pope, Merkel discuss Ukraine and fight against poverty
Pope Francis and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the conflict in Ukraine and the fight against poverty in front of a private audience on Saturday.
The meeting was the second between the two since Francis' election as pope. The Vatican described the climate in the meeting as "very cordial" while Merkel told reporters that the discussions were "wide-ranging, as expected," covering Ukraine, poverty, the role of women in developing countries, women's equality, and other items on Germany's agenda for its G-7 presidency and summit in June.
"I was very happy to meet with the pope," said Merkel, whose father was a Lutheran pastor. "He gave me a lot of encouragement."
