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Pope Leo XIV called on Russia and the United States to extend the New START nuclear arms control treaty, which limits the number of strategic nuclear weapons deployed by each country. Speaking at his weekly audience at the Vatican, the pope emphasized that the current global situation “calls for doing everything possible to avert a new arms race.”

Signed in 2010, the treaty is set to expire on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed an informal one-year extension in September, but as of Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump had not responded, raising concerns about the potential lapse of the agreement.

The pope described the renewal as urgent, stressing the need to replace “the logic of fear and distrust with a shared ethic” that prioritizes the common good. Letting the treaty expire would mark the end of over 50 years of nuclear weapons constraints, a significant step in global arms control.

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Pope Leo on Friday delivered a sharply worded annual foreign policy speech at the Vatican, condemning the growing use of military force to achieve diplomatic goals and warning that global conflicts are becoming increasingly normalized. Addressing ambassadors from 184 countries, the first U.S.-born pope said international institutions were failing to restrain wars, as diplomacy based on dialogue was being replaced by diplomacy rooted in force.

Referring to recent events in Venezuela, including the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces, Leo urged governments to “respect the will” of the Venezuelan people and safeguard their human and civil rights. He stressed that protecting democratic choice and basic freedoms must remain central to international engagement, particularly in politically fragile nations.

In a notably fiery tone, Leo also criticized abortion, euthanasia and surrogate births, while warning that freedom of expression was shrinking in Western societies. He cautioned against what he called an emerging “Orwellian-style language” that excludes dissenting views under the guise of inclusivity, and highlighted what he described as subtle religious discrimination against Christians in Europe and the Americas.

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Pope Leo XIV convened a two-day summit with 170 of the world’s 245 Catholic cardinals on Thursday, calling on senior clerics to avoid divisions and focus on attracting new believers to the 1.4-billion-member Church. He emphasized that the Church’s growth depends on spreading a message of God’s love for all and warned that division scatters while unity attracts.

The pope signaled continuity with the reforms of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who faced resistance from conservative cardinals while seeking to make Catholicism more inclusive, including welcoming LGBTQ Catholics and exploring women’s ordination. Leo encouraged the cardinals to work collectively to respond to the needs and desires of the Catholic faithful worldwide.

Opening his first full year as Church leader, Leo asked the cardinals for advice on priorities for the next two years, while urging them to keep discussions private for candid dialogue. British Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe highlighted the importance of unity, stressing that internal quarrels render the cardinals ineffective in supporting the Pope’s mission.

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