Vatican accuses EU of double standards on war – POLITICO

ROME — Opening Pope Leo XIV's closed-door conference of the world's cardinals on war, the Vatican's doctrinal chief accused the European Union of applying international law selectively, sanctioning some military invasions while treating others differently.

The rare gathering was called by Leo to examine what he calls a global "culture of power" that fuels modern conflict and to consider how the Church should respond. A central focus of the discussions was the pope's effort to rethink the traditional doctrine of a just war, which he argues has too often been invoked to justify military action.

That position has already brought Leo into conflict with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who challenged the pope's interpretation of Catholic teaching after Leo questioned whether the U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran could meet the criteria of a just war.