Brazil's President Lula meets with Pope Francis

STORY: Although the Vatican did not specifically mention Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Lula made clear before the meeting that seeking an end to the war was a priority.

According to a brief statement, there was a positive exchange of views on topics of common interest, such as the promotion of peace and reconciliation.

Underscoring this sentiment, the pope gave Lula a bronze sculpture with the inscription: "Peace is a fragile flower."

Pope Francis and Lula have both repeatedly called for a halt to the fighting and pitched their respective offices as potential peace brokers.

The Vatican said the two men had also discussed respect for indigenous peoples and protection of the environment.

Lula took office on Jan. 1 promising to ramp up efforts to end deforestation in the Amazon after years of surging destruction under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

Earlier this month, his government outlined plans to eliminate illegal deforestation in the rainforest by 2030.

Lula met a number of Italian leaders during his brief visit to Rome, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella. He is due to fly to Paris on Thursday (June 22) to attend a global financial summit.