ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV insisted Tuesday that Europe must have a role in any Ukraine peace deal and criticized what he said was the Trump administration’s effort to “break apart” the long-standing U.S.-European alliance.
Leo spoke to reporters after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is on another tour to rally European support for Kyiv. The American pope said they discussed the need for a ceasefire and the Vatican’s efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities.
Leo was asked about the U.S. peace proposal and the seeming sidelining of European powers in the process. Speaking as he left his vacation home in Castel Gandolfo, Leo insisted that Europe’s role was crucial to any deal.
“Seeking a peace agreement without including Europe in the talks is unrealistic, given the war is in Europe,” he said. “Guarantees are also being sought for security today and in the future. Europe must be part of this, and unfortunately not everyone understands this, but I think there is a great opportunity for European leaders to unite and seek a solution together.”
Zelenskyy has said there are three documents in the peace agreement being discussed with U.S. and European partners, a framework document of 20 points, a second document with security guarantees, and a third document about Ukraine's recovery.
Leo was asked about the U.S. peace plan for Ukraine but appeared to respond to a broader question about the Trump administration’s views on the U.S.-Europe alliance. Just last week, the Trump administration released its U.S. national security strategy, which questions the U.S.-European alliance and stresses a desire to improve U.S.-Russia relations.
Leo said what he had read would “make a huge change in what was for many, many years a true alliance between Europe and the United States.” Additionally, some comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggest an effort “trying to break apart what I think needs to be an alliance today and in the future.”
While some people in the United States may agree with that effort, “I think many others would see things in a different way,” Leo said.
The Holy See has tried to remain neutral in Russia's war while offering solidarity and concrete assistance to what it calls the “martyred” people of Ukraine. Leo has met now three times with Zelenskyy and has spoken by telephone at least once with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The American pope has called for a ceasefire and urged Russia in particular to make gestures to promote peace.
The Vatican has also tried to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian authorities, and last month Leo met with some returned children at the Vatican.
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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, arrives to meet with Pope Leo XIV in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pope Leo XIV wave to journalists during their meeting in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The first of a series of powerful storms dumped heavy rain and swelled rivers in the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, closing roads and prompting high water rescues.
Residents in parts of Oregon and Washington grappled with power outages, flooding and school closures, while drivers navigated debris slides and water that closed roads and submerged vehicles.
Fire officials northeast of Seattle said crews conducted several rescues, using inflatable kayaks to pull people from stranded cars and carrying another person about a mile (1.6 km) to safety after they were trapped in a wooded area by rising water.
Forecasters warned that the worst was still to come, with some major rivers expected to crest later in the week.
“We're starting to see a lot of rivers begin to rise and move very rapidly with lots of runoff with the rain,” said Harrison Rademacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Seattle office.
Rademacher described the atmospheric river soaking the region as “a jet stream of moisture” stretching all the way across the Pacific Ocean “with the nozzle pushing right along the coast of Oregon and Washington.”
The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center forecast several days of heavy rainfall along the coast and more than a foot of new snow in the northern Rockies in northwestern Wyoming. Flood watches were in effect with scattered flash flooding possible along the coast and into the Cascade Mountains through midweek.
Police said deputies went door-to-door in certain neighborhoods to warn residents of imminent flooding, including evacuating a mobile home park along the Snohomish River northeast of Seattle. In Auburn, south of Seattle, workers installed temporary flood control barriers along the White River.
Another storm system is expected to bring rain to the region starting Sunday, said Rademacher. “The pattern looks pretty unsettled going up to the holidays,” he said.
Portland transportation officials warned of an increased risk of car crashes due to hydroplaning or driving through flooded roads.
Further north, an arctic blast is affecting parts of southeast Alaska, with wind chills possibly hitting as low as minus 50 degrees (minus 45.6 Celsius) in Skagway, minus 25 (minus 31.6 Celsius) in Haines and minus 15 degrees (minus 26 C) in Alaska’s capital city, Juneau, according to the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, a fast-moving storm tracking across the Upper Midwest on Tuesday was forecast to bring freezing rain, high winds and heavy snow.
Much of North Dakota was under a no-travel advisory due to freezing rain and slippery roads. Some schools closed or moved to virtual lessons due to the weather conditions.
Most of Montana and the Dakotas were under a high wind warning. Winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) were expected Tuesday, said Connor Smith, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Bismarck. High winds could make travel difficult and blow around unsecured objects, Christmas decorations and already fallen snow, he said.
Wintry weather was also expected to impact the evening commute in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, starting Tuesday afternoon and lasting into the night, said Ryan Dunleavy, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities. Parts of central and northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin could see heavy snow, with a mix of winter weather forecast across the Twin Cities metro and southwest Minnesota, with potentially strong winds to follow, Dunleavy said.
Commuters should allow for extra time traveling, he said. The storm is expected to head into the Great Lakes region by Wednesday.
This photo provided by Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue shows a crew using an inflatable kayak to rescue two people from a vehicle that was stranded by floodwaters, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Snohomish, Wash. (Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue via AP)
This photo provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows debris on Interstate 90 from a rainstorm Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Washington State Department of Transportation via AP)
