Pope Leo pleads in France that world escape 'scourge' of war

Pope Leo on Friday ​urged the world not to ​become indifferent to ‌the pain ​caused by "the scourge of war", warning against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and calling on ‌France during his weekend visit to champion peace and multilateralism. "I urge you ... never to grow resigned to the prospect of war or to ‌consider it 'inevitable'," the pope said in an address to French ‌President Emanuel Macron and other politicians.

Leo urged France "to remain a tireless champion of peace and multilateralism, particularly within our beloved Europe." He also repeated the Church's ⁠long-held ​opposition to nuclear ⁠weapons, saying they should be banned. "The mistaken belief that the possession of nuclear weapons ⁠is a guarantee of security is spreading and fuelling a new arms ​race that is difficult to control," he said.

Leo has made ⁠calling for peace a main theme of his 16-month papacy and told journalists ⁠on ​his flight to France he was coming to the country as a "pilgrim" for peace. The first US pope drew the ⁠ire of US President Donald Trump earlier this year after criticizing the ⁠Iran war.

Macron ⁠has pledged to increase France's nuclear arsenal and strengthen deterrence, amid the Russia-Ukraine war and other global threats.