POPE Leo XIV on Wednesday during his weekly General Audience issued a dual appeal for prayerful solidarity with Ukraine and for urgent international action to preserve nuclear disarmament frameworks.
The Pontiff called upon the global faithful to intensify their prayers for the people of Ukraine, who are enduring renewed suffering amid ongoing hostilities.
He specifically highlighted the severe humanitarian impact of recent attacks on energy infrastructure during a period of extreme winter cold.
Pope Leo expressed particular gratitude to the Catholic dioceses of Poland and other nations for their concrete efforts in providing aid to the affected population.
Shifting to matters of global security, the Pope pointed to the imminent expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).
He described the 2010 agreement between the United States and the Russian Federation as a critical instrument for limiting nuclear proliferation and fostering mutual trust.
With the treaty set to lapse, Pope Leo issued an urgent appeal to prevent its termination without a concrete and effective successor arrangement.
“The current situation demands that everything possible be done to avert a new arms race that would further threaten peace among nations,” he stated.
The Pope emphasised the necessity of moving beyond international relations based on fear and mistrust, advocating instead for a shared ethical commitment to the common good and the safeguarding of peace.
The New START treaty, initially ratified in 2010 and extended in 2021, imposed verifiable limits on the deployed strategic nuclear arsenals of both the U.S. and Russia.
Its provisions included caps on warheads and delivery systems, alongside a rigorous inspection and data-exchange regime.
Analysts have warned that the treaty’s expiration could precipitate a dangerous and costly new phase of nuclear competition between the world’s principal nuclear powers. (Vatican News)
