Pope Leo decries 'diplomacy based on force' in speech to Vatican envoys

Pope Leo XIV holds the weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, January 7, 2026. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

VATICAN CITY, Jan ‌9 (Reuters) - Pope Leo decried the ‌use of military force as a ‌means of achieving diplomatic goals, in an unusually sharp annual foreign policy speech on Friday in ‍which he also called for ‍the safeguarding of ‌human rights in Venezuela.

Leo, the first U.S. ‍pope, ​said the weakness of international organizations in the face of ⁠global conflicts was "a particular cause for concern".