Pope Leo issued a scathing critique of the world’s military priorities on Thursday, describing the current surge in European rearmament – last year the biggest increase since the end of the Cold War – as a “betrayal of diplomacy”.
The surge comes amid pressure from US President Donald Trump. The Pope called on university students to stop using the term “defense spending” as it is a misleading label for rearmament. He described the world state as “marred by war” and emphasized the human and moral destruction caused by conflict.
The remarks came amid friction with President Trump stemming from the Pope’s recent criticism of the Iran war.
“Let us not call ‘defense’ a rearmament that increases tensions and insecurity, depletes investment in education and health, betrays trust in diplomacy, and enriches elites who are indifferent to the common good,” the Pope said.
According to ReutersEuropean defense spending increased by 14% in 2025, reaching $864 billion. This increase is driven by the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war and rearmament by NATO members.
President Donald Trump has pressured European allies to increase their defense budgets, enacting an executive order that prioritizes U.S. arms sales to countries with high military spending.
Speaking at Rome’s Sapienza University, Pope Leo warned against the “inhuman evolution” of war. He cited the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran as examples of how new technologies, especially AI, can cause a “spiral of annihilation.”
Addressing Europe’s largest university, the pope urged young people to avoid the trappings of parochial ideology and nationalism, advocating instead a more open and global perspective.
The Pope also begged, “Please join me and many of your brothers and sisters in becoming true craftsmen of peace.”
