Vatican accuses EU of double standards on war

Pope Leo XIV convened a closed‑door conference of cardinals to reassess the Catholic Church’s teaching on just war. Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, said the European Union applies international law selectively, imposing economic sanctions on some states while providing financial aid and weapons to others. “If a country is an enemy, it is condemned as undemocratic and sanctioned; if it is an ally, the lack of free speech, human rights or democracy is ignored,” he warned.

Fernández criticised the EU’s “double standards,” arguing that the bloc treats hostile invasions differently from those by allied powers. He also pointed to the expanding notion of legitimate self‑defence that is used to justify interventions in Ukraine, the Middle East and elsewhere. The remarks sparked a dispute with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance over what constitutes a just war. The Vatican said many working groups of cardinals support moving away from the traditional doctrine, and Pope Leo XIV indicated that the debate on just war is far from finished, promising further theological and pastoral reflection.