Pope Leo XIV receives Czech president, discusses democracy and transatlantic tensions

Jan 20, 2026 / 08:44 am

Amid international tensions, Pope Leo XIV received Czech President Petr Pavel in an audience on Monday, with both leaders agreeing that “democratic countries are and should be natural partners,” the president said during a brief press conference for Czech media following the meeting.

The two leaders discussed “dynamic changes in the contemporary world,” Pavel said. He warned of a possible split in the European Union if some member states “will prefer the principles of force” instead of adherence to “the values and principles on which the EU was founded.”

“Not all the options available to resolve” current tensions between the United States and Europe have been used, Pavel stressed.

Pavel thanked Pope Leo XIV for the Vatican’s efforts to help secure the release of Czech citizen Jan Darmovzal from Venezuela. Darmovzal was detained in September 2024 by Venezuelan authorities and released this month following the U.S. capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

“The Church has an extraordinary diplomatic reach, and Pope Leo XIV is trying very actively to moderate disputes and help resolve conflicts,” Pavel acknowledged.

A Vatican press release appreciated “good bilateral relations” between the Holy See and the Czech Republic and expressed “the desire to further strengthen them.” Pavel said relations were at a high level, adding that Pope Leo XIV was invited to visit the Czech Republic.