Pope Leo warns UN risks becoming a 'charade' during Paris visit

Pope Leo has warned that the United Nations and other multilateral bodies are in crisis, using a speech in Paris to question whether international dialogue is still serving the common good. Speaking at the headquarters of UNESCO, the UN culture and education agency, he said diplomacy risked becoming a "charade" rather than a path to peace. He also raised concerns about artificial intelligence and the possibility of "losing our humanity".

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The pontiff made the remarks during a weekend visit to France, while the UN General Assembly was taking place in New York. He said that those in power sometimes invoke the law when it suits them and ignore it when it does not, without naming any individual leaders. He also said multilateral organisations were facing a crisis of effectiveness, adding that dialogue was increasingly seen as an obstacle to action.

Thousands of people listened to the speech outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, according to the report. The address came as the pope continued a three-city visit to France, his first visit to the country as pope and the first by a pope there in nearly 20 years. The trip is also being used to address the Church's standing in France after abuse scandals caused nationwide shock.

The comments matter because they touch on two major global debates at once: the credibility of international institutions and the rapid spread of AI. The UN has been under pressure over wars, diplomatic deadlock and disputes among major powers, and the Paris speech placed those strains in public view. By linking the issue to humanity and the rule of law, Pope Leo framed the challenge as both political and moral.

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The pope, who became leader of the Catholic Church in May 2025, has already made warnings about AI a central theme of his papacy. The report also noted that he previously drew criticism from US President Donald Trump after speaking out on the Iran war earlier in the year. That background adds weight to his latest intervention, which comes at a moment when the UN General Assembly has been marked by sharp exchanges and walkouts.

What remains unclear is whether the speech will lead to any concrete diplomatic response or policy shift. The immediate focus is on the rest of the pope's visit in France and on the continuing debate at the UN in New York. It is also not clear how directly his remarks will be taken up by governments or multilateral institutions in the days ahead.

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