Slovenia’s president, Pontiff discuss Ukraine, AI

October 27, 2026

Pope Leo XIV received President Nataša Pirc Musar of Slovenia on October 26.

President Musar invited Pope Leo to visit Slovenia, expressed best wishes for a full recovery from his recent surgery, and “exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East,” according to a statement from the president’s office. “The Western Balkans were also discussed, also in the light of yesterday’s elections in Serbia.”

As the discussion turned to AI, “the Pope stressed that we cannot ignore the impact of artificial intelligence on the modern way of life and its presence in all areas of society, while always protecting the human being,” the statement continued.

President Musar subsequently met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

The parties discussed Church-state relations and “various international matters, with particular attention given to the region in the Western Balkans, as well as to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East,” according to a statement from the Holy See Press Office.

Slovenia (map), a Central European nation of 5.6 million, is 84% Christian (74% Catholic).

 

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Further information:

• Povabilo papežu v Slovenijo ter pogovor o miru in človeku v dobi umetne inteligence (Predsednica Republike Slovenije, 10/26/26)
• Holy See Press Office Press Release: Audience with the President of the Republic of Slovenia (10/26/26)