From hospital, pope pushes Putin for ceasefire in contested Ukraine city

Vatican City - Pope Leo XIV engaged in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, urging him to initiate a ceasefire in the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, which is under Russian control. The Pope, currently recuperating in a hospital following a lung cancer surgery, expressed his grave concern over the dire humanitarian conditions in the city.

He implored for a ceasefire to facilitate the distribution of essential supplies like food and medical aid, as well as the secure evacuation of civilians. This unexpected communication from the Vatican indicated that the ailing pope is actively involved in matters, even after undergoing surgery on Tuesday. The city of Oleshky is grappling with a deteriorating humanitarian crisis, with a severe shortage of food and medication, as it finds itself caught between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, described the situation in the city as "desperate" and urged Russia to facilitate the evacuation of civilians. In a statement, the Kremlin indicated that the two leaders had a brief discussion.