Gavin Grey: UK Correspondent on Pope Francis's health, European leaders meeting

Pope Francis has been unable to deliver his traditional Angelus prayer in person for the third week in the row. 

The Vatican published the Pope's written comments instead, saying he had written the text from his hospital room in a Rome "in the past few days."

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey talks the Andrew Dickens about the Pope's current health, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with European leaders. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
International correspondence with ins and Eye insurance, peace of mind
for New Zealand business. At thirteen to six, get a
greater UK. Hello Kevin other Andrew, you've got Zelensky. What's happening?

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Yeah, big meeting there in London, Lancaster House, right in
the heart of London. Plenty of people outside Downing Street
cheering when the President of Ukraine v Loto Mezzelenski arrived
and the Prime Minister. That really does reflect the strength
of feeling for the country. Now with you to get
a press conference in about ten to fifteen minutes, Andrew.

(00:36):
But you know, this is all about really trying to
work out how US Europe relationships are going to develop,
and also of course what can the Ukrainians expect now
from Europe. Will Europe step up and do the heavy lifting.
But even if they do that heavy lifting, by which
I may even mean boots on the ground, more money,

(00:57):
more arms, more logistics, they are demanding or they need
they stay American air cover. And that is something at
the moment that Donald Trump says he's not going to supply,
but we do know he flip blops. Yeah, I know.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
But at the same time, this conversation is not about
continuing the war. It's about a piece. It's about having
a peace with a security guarantee, which everyone's getting a
bit confused. They think that Selenski now wants to carry
on with the war, but he wants to have a
security guarantee poots on the ground to make sure that
Putin doesn't come back once they come up with some deal.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, there was speculation, not confirmed, speculation that Donald Trump
thinks that if the American companies start digging for the
minerals in the east and north of Ukraine, by the
very fact they're American Putin, wouldn't you try and evade again.
But that's what the Europeans say is not right, and
that's why they want this proper action plan in place

(01:50):
for the peace.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Now. Pope Francis had a bit of a turn on Friday,
but he's come right a bit, yes.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
I mean, I wouldn't say completely right, but he was
a call for the third week in a row, absent
and unable to deliver his traditional Angelus prayer in person.
Each week visitors go to the Vatican, usually gathering our
sent Peter Square to see the Pope. Third weekend, he's
not been there. He's spent most of that time in hospital.
He's still there, and it was said that he had

(02:18):
written the text from his hospital room in the past
few days and that was read out for him, and
he told Catholics around the world that he felt their
affection and closeness and said my quote, I feel as
if I'm carried and supported by God's people. He'd had
a peaceful night last night. But this was following, as
you said, a second breathing crisis as it was called

(02:41):
at the start of the weekend. He received extra oxygen report,
but we're being told he was not inturbated, in other words,
did not have one of those breathing tubes down his throat.
So positive news in that sense, but still a long
way from being out of the woods.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Kevin, I thank you so much for more from Early
Edition with Ryan and Bridge.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
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