VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Today’s threats to global peace and security must be countered through dialogue and development, not nuclear weapons, Pope Francis told the United Nations.

“How sustainable is a stability based on fear, when it actually increases fear and undermines relationships of trust between peoples,” the pope asked in a letter sent to a U.N. meeting on nuclear arms.

“International peace and stability cannot be based on a false sense of security, on the threat of mutual destruction or total annihilation, or on simply maintaining a balance of power,” he said.

The pope’s message was sent to Elayne Whyte Gomez, president of the U.N. Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons, Leading Towards Their Total Elimination. The conference was held at the U.N. March 27-31, with a follow-up set for June.

A number of nations – many of which already possess nuclear arms – were boycotting the negotiations to ban such weapons. These included the United States, France, the United Kingdom and about 40 other nations. Some continue to support the Non-Proliferation Treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told reporters in New York that it was the responsibility of leaders to keep their nations safe.