…As Pope Leo urges the Church to bear witness to truth in charity
The Holy See has called for disarmament and multilateral engagement on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
In a statement releassd by the Vatican, the Holy See also warned that nuclear deterrence, arsenal modernisation, and artificial intelligence driven (AI-driven) military systems are placing the world on an increasingly perilous path.
Addressing the General Debate of the Eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations in New York, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission described the moment as one of ‘profound gravity.’
The Holy See delegation voiced concern over the return of nuclear rhetoric, including threats linked to the possible use and testing of nuclear weapons.
Quoting Pope Leo XIV, the delegation stated that peace cannot rest on fear, and reaffirmed the right of states to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes in line with their obligations.
The Holy See noted its applications in medicine, agriculture, food security, and environmental protection.
“A peace that is disarmed and disarming.” Authentic peace, it said, cannot rest on fear. It must be built instead on “trust, dialogue, and the recognition of our shared humanity.”
It also lamented a growing shift away from multilateral diplomacy, noting that diplomacy rooted in dialogue and consensus, is being replaced by force.
The Holy See also highlighted recent attacks on nuclear facilities as a sign of the erosion of long-standing norms safeguarding global security.
Particular concern was expressed over the increasing role of AI in nuclear decision-making, and warned that such systems reduce the time for human deliberation in moments of crisis, increasing “the risk of miscalculation” and obscuring the moral weight of life-and-death choices.
Reaffirming the centrality of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Holy See stated that its three pillars —disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy remain essential to international peace and security.
On disarmament, it stated that Article VI imposes a binding obligation to pursue negotiations toward nuclear elimination. That duty, it said, is now more urgent as nuclear powers modernise their arsenals and expand deterrence doctrines.
Such trends, it warned, risk consolidating “a paradigm that is already strategically and morally questionable.”
Reliance on deterrence, it added, reflects “an approach to security based on mutual vulnerability sustained by the threat of force rather than on law and trust.”
The Holy See therefore reiterated its support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which it said strengthens the moral and legal framework for disarmament.
It also called for stronger International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and renewed support for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Middle East in renewed focus on non-proliferation.
Verification alone, it said, is insufficient without addressing “the root causes of insecurity through dialogue and responsible engagement.”
Similarly, Pope Leo has challenged the Church to bear witness to truth in charity, while meeting with Diocesan Office for the Universal Church and Dialogue, as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of its creation within the Archdiocese of Cologne, in Germany.
He stated that the occasion provides an opportunity to reflect on the universality of the Church and the importance of dialogue.
“In light of Christ’s Resurrection, the Church recognizes herself as being sent to all peoples—not by imposing herself, but by bearing witness to the truth in charity,” he said.
“Dialogue, in turn, strengthens communion, opens paths of understanding, and serves the cause of peace,” he stated.
According to Pope Leo, Christ makes the Church a sign of unity and hope for the world, through the work of dialogue and communion by drawing all things to Himself.
“This vision of the Church as truly universal—called to solidarity beyond the confines of Europe, and sustained through a culture of dialogue—remains at the very heart of your organization’s identity,” Pope Leo stated.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
