‘War Is Back in Vogue’: Pope Leo XIV Warns As Global Order Frays

Last Updated:January 09, 2026, 21:51 IST

Pope Leo XIV warns global order is eroding, urges respect for Venezuela, condemns war, abortion, surrogacy, and shrinking freedom of expression in his first major Vatican address.

Pope Leo XIV (Reuters image)

Pope Leo XIV has warned that the post–Second World War principle prohibiting nations from violating one another’s borders has been “completely undermined," as he delivered his first major “state of the world" address to diplomats at the Vatican.

Speaking at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Friday, the first US-born pope said the world was witnessing “escalating tensions," particularly in the Caribbean Sea and along the American Pacific coast. He called for the will of the Venezuelan people to be respected and urged a return to stability in Venezuela. “War is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading," Leo told ambassadors, adding that the international order built after World War II was now being eroded.

The pope’s remarks came less than a week after the United States captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a military raid, and as Russia continues its war in Ukraine. Emphasising the importance of international law, Leo’s comments stood in sharp contrast to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who dismissed international legal constraints in favour of personal moral judgement.

Leo lamented the weakening of multilateralism and stressed that international humanitarian law must “always prevail over the ambitions of belligerents." He recalled that the United Nations was created from the devastation of World War II to safeguard peace, warning that diplomacy based on consensus is increasingly being replaced by force exercised by individual states or alliances.

Delivering the 43-minute address largely in English, his native language, the Chicago-born pope described the encounter as “a new experience." He also issued strong condemnations of abortion, surrogacy and euthanasia, and defended the right of conscientious objection for doctors, healthcare workers and those declining military service. Leo further warned that freedom of expression in the West was “rapidly shrinking," cautioning against what he described as “Orwellian-style language" that excludes dissenting views under the guise of inclusivity.

Drawing historical parallels, the pope cited Saint Augustine and his work The City of God, saying today’s world, like the fifth century, is marked by migration, a shifting global order and a profound “change of era." He also reiterated concern over the treatment of migrants, warning governments against using crime and trafficking as pretexts to undermine human dignity.

Leo’s address comes as he begins to outline priorities for his pontificate. Earlier this week, he concluded an Extraordinary Consistory of the College of Cardinals, signalling his intent to consult the global body more regularly than his predecessor, Pope Francis. The discussions focused on evangelisation and synodality, with cardinals welcoming Leo’s emphasis on listening and collective leadership as he sets the course for the Catholic Church in a turbulent world.

News world ‘War Is Back in Vogue’: Pope Leo XIV Warns As Global Order Frays

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