US President Barack Obama has met Pope Francis for the first time on the third leg of a European tour dominated by the crisis in Ukraine.

He flew into Rome after three days of talks with EU leaders in the Netherlands and Brussels.

Tensions are high following Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

On Wednesday Mr Obama said the US and the EU were considering deeper sanctions against Moscow if there were any further incursions.

Pro-Russian forces seized Crimea – which has a Russian-speaking majority – this month.