VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV called Wednesday for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip and for an end to the “heartbreaking” toll on its people, as he presided over his first general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

JD Vance is attending Pope Leo's inaugural mass. The trip could set the tone for the Trump administration's relationship with the new pope.

Following the election of the new pope, several of Ukraine's partners, including the United States, suggested that the Vatican could become a neutral platform for further peace talks.