Statement by H.E. Archbishop Christophe Z. EL KASSIS at the General Assembly High-level Meeting to Commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

By H. E. Archbishop Christophe Z. El KassisApostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations

New York, 29 September 2026

Mr. Chair,

States have a fundamental responsibility to safeguard the security of their peoples. However, security cannot be reduced to the accumulation of military power, nor can a more secure world be built through the continued expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals. The idea of seeking greater security through perpetual reliance on nuclear weapons, the use of which would have catastrophic consequences for humanity, is a profound contradiction.

This contradiction is particularly troubling in the current international context. As Pope Leo XIV recently warned, “we are witnessing a real paradigm shift in public discourse and in decisions regarding rearmament, with a troubling revival of war as an instrument of international politics.”[1] In the nuclear field, this shift is evident in the renewed prominence of nuclear weapons in strategic doctrines and rhetoric contemplating their possible use, as well as in the gradual erosion of the arms control and disarmament architecture that has been built up over decades.

The progressive integration of artificial intelligence into nuclear systems introduces an additional layer of risk. By compressing decision-making timelines and introducing new sources of error and opacity, these technologies may increase the risk of escalation and miscalculation while putting greater pressure on human judgment.

Mr. Chair,

Reversing these trends requires a renewed commitment to multilateralism, arms control and disarmament. Dialogue and cooperation remain essential to restoring trust, reducing nuclear risks and creating the conditions for meaningful progress towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

In this regard, the Holy See deeply regrets that the Eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons failed to reach a consensus on a substantive outcome. However, this should not diminish the commitment to the Treaty, but rather strengthen the determination to preserve its integrity and advance the full implementation of its three mutually reinforcing pillars, including the obligation under Article VI to pursue negotiations in good faith towards nuclear disarmament. It is equally important to continue to support the mandate and safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The Holy See reiterates its strong support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and encourages all States that have not yet done so to join it as an essential step toward a world free of nuclear weapons. As the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty marks its thirtieth anniversary, my Delegation likewise renews its call for its entry into force and for further progress in bilateral and multilateral arms control.

Mr. Chair,

A more secure world cannot be built upon an ever-greater capacity for destruction. The total elimination of nuclear weapons remains the only path to freeing humanity from their threat and laying the foundations for genuine and lasting peace.

Thank you.

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[1] Pope Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas, 190.