Pope Advocates Extension of Nuclear Treaty Amid Expiry Date Looming

Pope Leo has urgently called upon Russian and American leaders to extend the New START nuclear arms control treaty, which is set to expire imminently. This treaty limits the number of strategic nuclear weapons each country can deploy.

During his weekly address at the Vatican, Pope Leo, the first U.S. pope, highlighted the critical global situation and the necessity of preventing a new arms race. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier suggested an informal year-long treaty extension, yet there has been no reply from the U.S. administration as of Wednesday.

The expiry of the New START, originally signed in 2010, would end over fifty years of nuclear weapon restrictions. The Pope's appeal emphasizes replacing fear and distrust with a shared ethic for global cooperation and peace.