Holy See at UN: Peace cannot rest on threats of mass destruction

Source: Holy See Mission to UN

On 21 October 2025, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, delivered a statement during the Thematic Discussion on Nuclear Weapons in the First Committee of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.

Warning that recent rhetoric and efforts to expand arsenals reveal the dangerous fallacy of nuclear deterrence, Archbishop Caccia emphasized that peace cannot rest on threats of mass destruction, a strategy that is both morally indefensible and strategically unsustainable.

He expressed particular concern over the dangers posed by integrating artificial intelligence and autonomous systems into nuclear command and control systems. Noting that true security lies not in weapons, but in protecting life and dignity, he called on States to strengthen dialogue and support treaties that advance non-proliferation and disarmament.

The full text of the statement follows.

Statement by HE Archbishop Gabriele Caccia
Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See
at the Thematic Discussion on Nuclear Weapons
in the First Committee of the 80th Session
of the United Nations General Assembly

New York, 21 October 2025

Mr Chair,

The issue of nuclear weapons continues to pose one of the greatest threats to international peace and security. Eighty years have passed since the first nuclear test in New Mexico and the devastation caused by the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The suffering and destruction inflicted by these events serve as a sobering and enduring reminder of the catastrophic potential of these weapons, and of the shared responsibility to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

Today, the world is witnessing an alarming resurgence in rhetoric threatening the use of nuclear weapons, accompanied by renewed efforts to expand arsenals. Such developments, often justified by the flawed logic of deterrence, risk entrenching fear and further destabilize international security. Peace cannot be built on the threat of total destruction or on the illusion that stability can emerge from mutual potential annihilation, as this is both morally indefensible and strategically unsustainable.

Even more concerning is the integration of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and cyber technologies into nuclear command, control and deployment systems. These innovations shorten decision-making windows, reduce human oversight and increase the risk of miscalculation and error. Incorporating such emerging technologies into nuclear weapons introduces an unprecedented level of uncertainty and requires sustained attention from the international community.

Mr Chair,

The Holy See affirms its unwavering conviction that efforts to control, limit, reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons are not an unrealistic prospect, but a possibility and an urgent moral imperative.

In this spirit, all nuclear-armed States are urged to fulfill their obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and to negotiate in good faith with the aim of reducing and ultimately eliminating their stockpiles. Furthermore, the Holy See urges States to join the NPT and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), and to advance complementary measures, including the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the negotiating of a treaty on fissile materials, and the strengthening of robust verification and assistance mechanisms.

Mr Chair,

The enormous resources devoted to armaments, while so many continue to suffer, constitute a profound moral defeat. True security lies in protecting life, promoting justice, and fostering peace, not in weapons or arsenals. The accumulation and proliferation of nuclear weapons runs counter to these principles. Instead, the international community must commit to a human-centered vision of security, grounded in dialogue, fraternity, and respect for the inherent God given dignity of every person.

Thank you, Mr Chair.