Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, expressed his concern about the “hostilities” around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, located in southern Ukraine and under Russian control since 2022.
It is the largest atomic facility in Europe and has been the subject of multiple reports of cross-bombing since the beginning of the conflict.
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The Holy See diplomat expressed his “deep concern” about the risks posed by nuclear facilities located in conflict zones. “The ongoing hostilities around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are a stark reminder of the serious dangers that arise when civil nuclear infrastructure is involved in war,” he warned during his speech at the 80th session of the General Assembly dedicated to the effects of atomic radiation.
Thus, he warned of the “catastrophic” consequences that a radioactive leak would have at the Ukrainian plant, “the largest of its kind in Europe,” and stressed that said emergency “would have repercussions not only on the Ukrainian population, but also on neighboring countries and the global environment.”
His voice thus joins that of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which maintains observation teams in the area to monitor safety and which has warned on several occasions of the risk of a large-scale nuclear accident.
Peace and security “can never be built under the threat of mass destruction”
In his speech at the UN headquarters in New York, Mons Caccia assured that peace and security “can never be built under the threat of mass destruction” since they are based, instead, “on disarmament, transparency, international cooperation and respect for the inalienable dignity of each person.”
According to reports Vatican NewsBishop Caccia stressed that the authentic progress of humanity cannot be based on fear or nuclear deterrence, but on “mutual trust” and “concrete commitment to comprehensive disarmament.”
For this reason, the prelate insisted on the need to “adopt urgent preventive measures” to protect the safety of civilians and “safeguard creation, a gift from God that cannot be the object of military or strategic interests.”
Call to strengthen international treaties
In his speech, Archbishop Caccia urged States to “strengthen international legal instruments aimed at reducing the risk of nuclear accidents and radiation exposure.” In particular, he called for nuclear weapons countries to “ratify and fully implement” the main multilateral treaties on the matter, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
“The Holy See reaffirms its conviction that nuclear disarmament is not a utopia, but an urgent moral and political requirement,” said the Vatican diplomat.
Responsible use of medical technologies
The delegate of the Holy See also addressed the use of radiation in the medical field, in light of the 2024 report of the United Nations Scientific Committee for the Study of the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR).
“Medical technologies are essential for diagnosis and treatment, but they must be used responsibly and with the utmost care to minimize risks,” he noted. In this sense, he urged States to promote the training of health professionals and guarantee equitable access to safe and sustainable technologies.
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all Vatican news for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa y Omega.