Vatican spokesman questions ever-higher levels of military spending, calls for disarmament

March 16, 2026

» Continue to this story on Vatican News (Italian)

CWN Editor's Note: Andrea Tornielli, the editorial director of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, questioned the strategic efficacy of a rise of military spending in Europe and elsewhere and said that disarmament is the more prudent alternative.

In an article published March 14, Tornielli wrote, “The massive sums allocated to armaments raise a fundamental question: does the current approach to addressing existing threats truly contribute to reducing them, or does it risk fueling them further? A continuous increase in military spending may create the impression of enhanced security, yet it rarely addresses the root causes of the tensions that lie at the heart of conflicts.”

Tornielli added:

Disarmament—whether cultural, political, or spiritual—emerges as an alternative that must be taken seriously, for it opens up a different perspective: one of an equilibrium based on trust, cooperation, and prevention.

Strengthening supranational bodies, reinforcing democratic oversight mechanisms within individual nations, restoring space for critical dialogue, and moving beyond an emergency-driven mindset: these would be the initial steps toward building a more stable future—one in which defense does not preclude disarmament but rather regards it as an integral component of a broader, more farsighted strategy.

Disarmament—understood not merely as a reduction in weaponry but as a cultural, diplomatic, and institutional choice—represents the true strategic alternative.

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