Pope Leo XIV urged Russia, Ukraine, and other nations involved in conflicts to return to dialogue, warning that increasingly destructive wars, rising military spending, and renewed discussions about nuclear weapons threaten human life and dignity.
Speaking to more than 80 journalists aboard the papal flight from Metz to Rome on September 28 after his four-day visit to France, Leo said the Catholic Church’s role is to promote peace, protect life, and remind leaders that conflicts must be addressed through negotiation rather than continued violence.
The Pope criticized the expansion of the global arms industry, saying resources directed toward weapons could instead help address social challenges affecting millions of people, including hunger, housing shortages, unemployment, health care, and education.
“There is this continued arming and spending on that enormous military industry,” Leo said,
warning that while some people gain immense wealth from industries connected to war, many communities continue to struggle with basic needs.
He also expressed concern over renewed discussions of nuclear weapons and the possibility of conflicts becoming even more destructive.
“The Church has a responsibility to promote these values, continually inviting leaders such as those of Russia and Ukraine, and other countries, to come, to sit down, to engage in dialogue, to seek ways of resolving problems without continuing these wars that no longer make sense,” Leo said.
Leo emphasized that his appeal was not about taking a political position, but about defending human dignity and the value of life. He said countries should consider whether more resources could be directed toward improving people’s lives instead of expanding military capabilities.
During his visit to Metz, France, the Pope also called on European leaders working toward peace to show courage and accept difficult decisions, including possible sacrifices or concessions, when pursuing negotiations.
His remarks come as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022, continues with no permanent peace agreement between the two sides. The Pope’s message centered on reducing the human cost of war and urging leaders to prioritize diplomacy over prolonged conflict.
