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Trump and Zelenskyy among world leaders planning to attend Pope Francis' funeral

Vatican Swiss Guards wait in St. Peter's Basilica ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, April 23, 2025.
Vatican Swiss Guards wait in St. Peter's Basilica ahead of the arrival of the body of Pope Francis, who will lie in state for three days, at the Vatican, April 23, 2025. Copyright  Alessandra Tarantino/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved
Copyright Alessandra Tarantino/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved
By Cristian Caraballo
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US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy are among the various world leaders who will attend the funeral in Rome on Saturday.

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Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, with a slew of world leaders including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy set to attend.

The Argentine pontiff died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke.

On Wednesday, his body was moved to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing in an open casket. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 pm, and the funeral will be held on Saturday at 10 am in St. Peter's Square.

Trump was one of the first heads of state to confirm his attendance, saying that he would travel to Rome with his wife Melania. He paid tribute to the pontiff on social media with the message: "Rest in peace, Pope Francis! God bless him and all who loved him!".

Zelenskyy on Tuesday said that he would attend the funeral, and highlighting Pope Francis' commitment to peace in Ukraine and his support for Ukrainians following Russia's full-scale invasion. He also said he would like to meet Trump in Rome if possible.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the subject of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over Moscow's war in Ukraine, will not attend the funeral, the Kremlin has said. Russia is expected to name a representative in due course.

The European Union will be represented by the presidents of its three main institutions: Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, António Costa of the European Council, and Roberta Metsola of the European Parliament. Von der Leyen recalled Pope Francis as a guide towards "a more just, peaceful and compassionate world".

Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will lead the country's delegation. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's attendance has not been confirmed, although the government stated that the nation will be represented by a delegation "in proportion to its affection" for Pope Francis.

French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed his presence in Rome, highlighting the pope's commitment to the most vulnerable. Representing Belgium will be Prime Minister Bart De Wever, along with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

In terms of representatives from other major EU nations, Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be attending, while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz will also travel to Rome.

From the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer will represent his country, while the Prince of Wales will attend the funeral on behalf of King Charles.

Elsewhere in Europe, Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Ireland's Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Switzerland's President Karin Keller-Sutter, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and Romania's interim President Ilie Bolojan are other notable attendees.

Regarding other European monarchies, it remains to be seen whether royals from Denmark, Monaco, the Netherlands or Luxembourg will attend the funeral.

The attendance of monarchies from Norway and Sweden is also in doubt due to different health reasons.

From further afield, Brazil's President Lula da Silva and Argentina's leader Javier Milei have confirmed their attendance. China has expressed condolences over the death of Pope Francis, but has not provided information about who might attend his funeral.

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