Peace under siege from power; Vatican warns of silence on diplomacy in today's world

In a message, the Vatican called on Catholics to be active voices for peace and not remain silent in the face of the weakening of diplomacy and the dominance of the logic of power.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's Secretary of State, has warned in recent statements about worrying trends in the international system and called on Catholics to play a more active role in promoting peace. "In a situation where the logic of power dominates global relations, the silence of the faithful can neutralize the Church's messages of peace," he stressed.

In an interview with an Italian cultural publication, the senior Vatican official warned that if there is no practical support for these messages, there is a risk that they will become a voice in the wilderness, referring to the efforts of Church leaders to prevent conflicts. He recalled Pope John Paul II's efforts to prevent the Iraq war as an example of the consequences of ignoring spiritual warnings.

In this regard, Parolin emphasized the need for believers to accompany Pope Leo, the current leader of the Catholic Church, and called for countering what he called "false propaganda of rearmament."

The Vatican's foreign minister described the current global climate as one in which military solutions are rapidly replacing diplomatic means. "I am surprised that the military option is presented as a decisive and inevitable option," he said, expressing surprise.

In his opinion, this trend has effectively silenced diplomacy and marginalized the capacity for dialogue and mediation. In such circumstances, global sensitivity to the catastrophic consequences of war and the importance of international law is also declining.

Parolin considered one of the roots of the current crisis to be a form of power-based multipolarity; a situation in which countries rely on their own interests and power rather than adhering to common global rules.

Referring to developments related to Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, he described the situation as a clear example of "double standards," saying: "Many governments have expressed their outrage at the attacks on Ukrainian civilians by Russian missiles and drones and have imposed sanctions on the aggressors. But I don't think the same has happened with the disaster of the destruction of Gaza."

According to him, such an approach shows that international laws are invoked in practice only when they are aligned with the political interests of the powers.

The veteran Vatican diplomat also warned against the weakening of global multilateral structures, emphasizing that relying on the balance of power instead of international agreements is an unstable and dangerous path.

He clarified that accepting the logic of the stronger means rewriting global rules in favor of the powers and weakening international institutions.

In another part of his speech, Parolin referred to the state of the European Union and criticized its inability to adopt unified positions. He called for a revival of a sense of European solidarity and emphasized that joint actions must be formed without deviating from fundamental principles.

The Vatican's recent positions are a continuation of an approach that has been repeatedly raised by the leaders of this institution in recent years; an approach that emphasizes the priority of dialogue, mediation, and reducing tensions.

The Holy See has always tried to play the role of mediator or facilitator of dialogue in international crises and, through its diplomatic network, encourage countries to seek peaceful solutions.

At a time when many analysts are talking about the world returning to power-based competition, these warnings show that the Vatican's concern is not only focused on current conflicts, but also on the future of the world order and the place of peace in it.