Only the truth – the first victim of wars, inside and outside ourselves

It is often said that the first casualty of war is truth. How true! Propaganda, conflicting narratives, distorted interpretations of reality and facts, so much bad faith and cynicism that it becomes impossible to call things by their name. What can be said about US President Donald Trump? Shortly after the massacre in Sumy on Palm Sunday, with the bodies of Ukrainians still warm on the asphalt and the smell of Russian missiles in the air, he said: “A horrible massacre, but I am told it was a mistake. President Zelensky and Joe Biden did a horrible job of allowing this war to start”. No reference to Putin, to his faults and responsibilities, to that abnormal violation of international law that is the real vulnus of this story. No nuance, just the truth of the facts bent and trampled on.

Yet there is more because, when it comes to truth, there is another interpretation. It is that of the heart and human nature, which mysteriously passes through wounds and pain. It happens to all of us when we are betrayed, when we are disappointed by people and situations, when we suffer evil for no reason. It is like losing one's bearings, discovering an unknown vulnerability, feeling broken, aware of having to move on, yet feeling unable to do so. In a war, faced with immeasurable evil, in the abyss of the loss of a loved one, in the humiliation of the law of the strongest, this state of mind is multiplied, it is a short circuit, a blasphemy against the truth – precisely – that dwells within us and makes us simply human.

Those who believe in peace cannot ignore all this; they cannot be so idealistic or cynical as to feel reassured by armchair pacifism. They must ask for peace, yes, but never divorced from justice, compassion, and care for those who have suffered. Only in this way can the truth outside and inside be restored. Blessed are the men and women, believers and non-believers, societies and nations, capable of creating these opportunities, of bandaging every wound, of listening to every pain, of processing every trauma. If we do not do this, perhaps the weapons will fall silent, perhaps the reasons for conflict will be put aside, but the roots will continue to rot, to be putrid, a sign of a death that has only been postponed.

Seeking the truth is not an easy path to follow. Because the truth hurts, it lays you bare, it brings you back to what you are fleeing from. All true. But let us not forget: only the truth sets you free.


Matteo Spicuglia
NP May 2025