Pope Leo Foreign Policy Speech Warns Against War
January 9, 2026
3:09 pm
Pope Leo delivered a forceful annual foreign policy address on Friday, condemning the use of military force in international diplomacy and calling for the protection of human rights in Venezuela. Speaking to some 184 ambassadors at the Vatican, Leo warned that “war is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading.”
The first U.S.-born pope emphasized the growing weakness of international organizations in addressing global conflicts. “A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force,” he said in the 43-minute speech.
Referring indirectly to last weekend’s U.S. …
