Europe live with Jakub KrupaWorld news Pope Leo visits France for first papal visit in 18 years – Europe live The pope will deliver a landmark speech on AI development and discuss Europe’s future LIVE Updated 3m ago Jakub Krupa Fri 25 Sep 2026 09.07 BSTFirst published on Fri 25 Sep 2026 08.45 BST Share Key events 2m ago Church bells across France ring to mark Pope Leo's visit 8m ago Pope Leo lands in Paris 24m ago Morning opening: Pope Leo visits France to talk AI Pope Leo boarding a plane from Fiumicino Airport, Rome From 24m ago Pope Leo will visit France this weekend, the first papal state visit to the country in 18 years, beginning with Paris today.
Pope Leo XIV boarding a plane from Fiumicino Airport, Rome, Italy.
He will visit the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, as well as the famed Catholic shrine in Lourdes, among other places.
The Pope’s plane is now in French airspace and expected to land at Paris Orly airport in the next half hour.
I will keep an eye on his trip and keep you up to date.
Elsewhere, I will bring you all the updates from Ukraine and across the continent.
It’s Friday, 25 September 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Key events 2m ago Church bells across France ring to mark Pope Leo's visit 8m ago Pope Leo lands in Paris 24m ago Morning opening: Pope Leo visits France to talk AI To welcome Pope Leo to France, the bells of churches across France started ringing at 10am, just as his plane touched down at Paris Orly.
In fact, they are still ringing: it was agreed they would ring for seven minutes, which the Conference of Bishops of France said would be just right to “mark the solemnity of the event without disrupting civil life.” It’s seen as “a symbolic gesture to mark the beginning of this apostolic journey and allow everyone to join in, wherever they are.” Meanwhile, AP is reporting that in what will surely be seen as a swipe at Donald Trump, Pope Leo told reporters on board of his plane that they are always welcome to cover him, and affirmed the need for media scrutiny.
These comments came in response to a question about Trump ban at the White House, AP is reporting.
As I was chatting about politics, Pope Leo’s plane has just landed in Paris.
We should see him shortly.
People stand behind a banner reading in French "welcome in France" as they wait for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV outside Orly airport, in the outskirts of Paris.
President Emmanuel Macron speaks during an interview with France 2 and TF1 at the Elysee Presidential Palace, in Paris.
“I can deny it.
The CIA did not inform French services,” he said.
But he still repeated his warning about Russia’s “growing” hostile activities in Europe, saying all sensitive sites in France are subject to additional protection.
The French president also said that said any ban on US diesel exports backed by president Donald Trump would be a “bad” decision, including for the US economy.
Interestingly, French president Emmanuel Macron will meet with Pope Leo this morning and host him at the Élysée Palace, but will not attend tomorrow’s mass at Place de la Concorde in Paris.
Former president Nicolas Sarkozy said the decision was Macron’s personal choice, adding that he would have attended if he were still in office.
“Some say that in the name of secularism, he shouldn’t go.
That doesn’t make sense: secularism is a right, a right to believe or not to believe,” he said, quoted by BFM TV.
Pope Leo will visit France this weekend, the first papal state visit to the country in 18 years, beginning with Paris today.
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