Pope Leo Urges Diplomacy in Middle East Conflicts During France Visit

During his visit to France, Pope Leo XIV urged leaders not to accept war as inevitable and called for dialogue and diplomacy in response to suffering in the Middle East, including conflicts involving Iran and Lebanon. He called for nuclear weapons to be banned and stockpiles reduced, warning that treating them as a guarantee of security fuels an arms race; his appeal contrasts with French President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to expand France’s nuclear arsenal. Leo also warned that artificial intelligence and other technologies require ethical oversight to protect human dignity and human responsibility.