Pope Leo Warns UN, Multilateral Groups Face Crisis

Pope Leo warned Friday that the United Nations and other multilateral institutions are facing a serious “crisis of effectiveness,” arguing that international dialogue risks becoming a “charade” as governments increasingly prioritize national interests over cooperation.

Speaking at UNESCO headquarters in Paris during his four-day visit to France, Leo criticized leaders who selectively apply the rule of law, without identifying specific governments or officials. He said those in power increasingly invoke laws when convenient while disregarding them when they become restrictive.

The first U.S. pope delivered the remarks as the UN General Assembly unfolded in New York amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Leo, who became pope in May 2025, said dialogue is increasingly treated as an obstacle rather than an essential tool for achieving peace and advancing the common good.

Artificial intelligence was another major theme of the pontiff’s France visit. Speaking earlier at the Elysee Palace, Leo called for greater ethical scrutiny of AI development, warning against allowing humanity to become dependent on what he described as a “paradise of machines.” He urged stronger education in ethical discernment as artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in everyday life.

Leo later visited the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral, marking the first papal visit to the Paris landmark since the devastating 2019 fire. He praised the cathedral’s reconstruction as evidence of collective determination and described Notre-Dame as a place connecting France’s history with its future.

The pope also reiterated Catholic opposition to assisted dying and raised concerns about genetic manipulation, surrogacy, organ trading and other practices involving science and technology.

His France trip also comes as the Catholic Church continues confronting the fallout from widespread sexual abuse scandals. A landmark 2021 investigation estimated that about 330,000 children in France had suffered abuse involving Catholic clergy and lay workers over seven decades.

Leo is scheduled to meet seven French survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Lourdes on Sunday, as victims continue pressing Church leaders for greater accountability and reforms.