Pope says increased defence spending after Ukraine is "madness"

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis holds the weekly general audience at the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, March 23, 2022. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Thursday criticised increased defence spending by Western nations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "madness" and said a new way must be found to balance world power.

Speaking to a coalition of women's groups, the pope said the conflict in Ukraine was a product of "the old logic of power that still dominates so-called geopolitics".