VATICAN CITY, Jan. 9, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV on Friday delivered a stark warning to the international community, lamenting what he described as a growing global return to military force and the erosion of dialogue-driven diplomacy. Speaking during his traditional New Year’s address to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, the pontiff said that war has once again become an accepted instrument of policy, threatening international law, human dignity and peaceful coexistence.
Addressing ambassadors and representatives from around the world at the Vatican, Pope Leo expressed deep concern that the multilateral framework established after the Second World War is weakening at a time when it is most needed. He warned that dialogue and cooperation are increasingly being replaced by coercion and military power.
“War is back in vogue, and a zeal for war is spreading,” the Pope said, adding that diplomacy based on dialogue is being supplanted by what he called a “diplomacy based on force,” whether pursued by individual states or groups of allied nations.
The pontiff’s remarks came amid heightened international tensions and just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that land operations against drug cartels were imminent following recent maritime military actions in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Pope Leo, an American by birth, did not mention the United States by name in his speech, but he referred pointedly to rising tensions in the Caribbean and Pacific regions, calling developments there “a cause for serious concern.”
Concern Over Venezuela
Pope Leo devoted a significant portion of his address to the crisis in Venezuela, where recent events have drawn global attention and controversy. Referring to the seizure of the Venezuelan president by U.S. forces, the Pope issued an appeal for restraint and respect for national sovereignty.
“I appeal to all parties to respect the will of the Venezuelan people and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all,” he said. He cautioned against attempts to impose political outcomes through force, particularly in regions already suffering from instability, poverty and institutional fragility.
His remarks followed statements by President Trump suggesting that the United States could effectively exert long-term control over Venezuela and its vast oil reserves. Without addressing those comments directly, Pope Leo warned that ambitions driven by power or economic interest must never override the dignity of peoples or the principles of international law.
Erosion of Postwar Norms
In one of the most forceful passages of his address, the Pope said the foundational principle established after World War II — that countries must not use force to violate the borders and sovereignty of others — has been “completely undermined.” He warned that this trend risks plunging the world into a dangerous cycle of conflict.
“Peace is increasingly being sought through weapons, as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion,” he said. “This gravely threatens the rule of law, which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence.”
Pope Leo stressed that adherence to international law is not optional but a binding commitment freely undertaken by states. He said such commitments must prevail over the ambitions of belligerents and over short-term political or strategic calculations.
Humanitarian Law and Civilian Protection
The pontiff also condemned the destruction of civilian infrastructure in modern conflicts, describing attacks on hospitals, energy facilities, homes and other essentials of daily life as serious violations of international humanitarian law.
“These acts strike at the heart of human dignity,” he said, emphasizing that the protection of civilians and the sanctity of life must always take precedence over military objectives or national interest. He urged the international community to remember that moral responsibility does not diminish during times of war but becomes even more urgent.
Weakening Multilateralism
Another central theme of the Pope’s address was what he described as the growing weakness of multilateral institutions. He said such bodies were originally conceived as spaces where nations could meet, speak openly and resolve disputes peacefully — much like the ancient Roman Forum or the medieval town square.
However, Pope Leo warned that genuine dialogue becomes nearly impossible when words lose their connection to reality. “It is difficult to talk when words are emptied of meaning, when reality itself becomes debatable and ultimately incommunicable,” he said.
“Rediscovering the meaning of words is perhaps one of the primary challenges of our time,” the Pope added, calling on diplomats and political leaders to restore honesty, clarity and responsibility to public discourse.
Warning on Advanced Weapons and Artificial Intelligence
The Pope also cautioned against a renewed global arms race, particularly the development of increasingly sophisticated weapons systems. He expressed particular concern about the growing use of artificial intelligence in military applications, warning that such technologies raise profound ethical questions and risk distancing human responsibility from the act of taking life.
He urged world leaders to approach technological advancement with moral restraint, insisting that progress without ethics ultimately leads to destruction rather than security.
Middle East and Global Conflicts
Reflecting on ongoing conflicts around the world, Pope Leo reiterated his support for a two-state solution in the Middle East and expressed sorrow over escalating violence in the occupied West Bank. He condemned attacks on civilians and affirmed the right of the Palestinian population to live in peace and security in their own land.
“Sadly, there has been an increase in violence in the West Bank against the Palestinian civilian population,” he said, describing the situation as morally unacceptable and politically dangerous.
The Pope also referenced conflicts and humanitarian crises in other regions, underscoring that no war is distant in a globalized world and that suffering in one place ultimately affects all humanity.
A Moral Appeal to World Leaders
Concluding his address, Pope Leo urged diplomats and political leaders to recommit themselves to peace, dialogue and respect for human dignity. He stressed that protecting life and upholding justice must always outweigh narrow national interests or the pursuit of dominance.
His speech, delivered at the start of a year marked by uncertainty and tension, was widely seen as a moral appeal for restraint and responsibility in global affairs — and a warning that the normalization of war threatens the very foundations of international order.
As conflicts persist and new ones loom, the Pope’s message underscored the Vatican’s enduring call for peace in a world increasingly defined by force rather than dialogue.
