During an interview with reporters over the weekend, Pope Francis expressed his concern that a nuclear war between North Korea and the United States could wipe out a “large part of humanity.”

The pope was on his way to Italy after visiting Egypt when he talked about the danger of a “piecemeal third world war.”

“It’s piecemeal but the pieces are getting larger, and are concentrated in places which were already hot,” Pope Francis explained. “Today a wider war would destroy, I won’t say half of humanity, but a large part of humanity and culture. It would be terrible. I don’t think humanity today could bear it.”

“I think the United Nations has the duty to resume its leadership, because it has been watered down a bit,” the pope said. He also suggested that a third-party nation like Norway step in and mediate talks between North Korea and the United States.