Holy See warns nuclear deterrence heightens global risk

The Holy See has warned that renewed reliance on nuclear deterrence, the modernisation of arsenals, and the growing integration of artificial intelligence into military systems are placing the world on an increasingly perilous path.

Addressing the General Debate of the Eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations in New York on Wednesday, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission described the moment as one of “profound gravity.”

Against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions and weakening arms control frameworks, the delegation voiced concern over the return of nuclear rhetoric, including threats linked to the possible use and testing of nuclear weapons.

Quoting Pope Leo XIV, it lamented a growing shift away from multilateral diplomacy. A diplomacy rooted in dialogue and consensus, it noted, is being replaced by one “based on force.”

It also highlighted recent attacks on nuclear facilities as a sign of the erosion of long-standing norms safeguarding global security.

Particular concern was expressed over the increasing role of artificial intelligence in nuclear decision-making. The Holy See warned that such systems reduce the time for human deliberation in moments of crisis, increasing “the risk of miscalculation” and obscuring the moral weight of life-and-death choices.