Pope Francis, speaking after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned about the possible use of nuclear weapons, said that even thinking about such an act would be "madness".
This was reported by the agency Reuters, according to Yevropeiska Pravda.
The pope discussed his trip to Kazakhstan with people during an audience in St. Peter's Square and praised the Central Asian country for giving up nuclear weapons after it gained independence in 1991.
"It was courageous. At a time when certain people think about nuclear weapons in this tragic war, which is madness, this country initially said "no" to nuclear weapons," Pope Francis said, without mentioning either Russia or Putin.
Nor did he mention that Ukraine also gave up nuclear weapons and lost its nuclear status on June 2, 1996.
Ukraine's nuclear disarmament lasted for several years. The path was paved by the Declaration of Sovereignty of Ukraine, dated July 16, 1990.
The Budapest Memorandum on security guarantees in connection with Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is an international agreement concluded on December 5, 1994, between Ukraine, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States on guarantees to Ukraine in connection with its acquisition of non-nuclear status. On the same day, Ukraine joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.