Pope Leo XIV urges Putin to agree to truce in besieged Ukrainian city of Oleshky
The call took place at Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic, where the Pope is recovering well from surgery, on the same day he celebrated his first Mass since the operation.
Pope Leo XIV contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday to urge a ceasefire in Oleshky, a city currently under Russian control in southern Ukraine. The pontiff expressed deep concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Oleshky, located in the Kherson region, and requested a ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of food and medical aid, as well as the voluntary and safe evacuation of civilians.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that Pope Leo XIV was the one who reached out to Putin to address the plight of the besieged city, where approximately 2,000 civilians urgently need safe routes out and humanitarian corridors. Parolin expressed hope that, upon receiving the Holy Father's plea, Putin would agree to implement the requested measures.
Russian news agencies reported that President Putin responded to Pope Leo XIV's initiative, thanking him for his willingness to help resolve the conflict in Ukraine and for his humanitarian efforts, while wishing the Pope a swift recovery following his recent lung cancer surgery. This is the second time Pope Leo XIV and Russian President Vladimir Putin have spoken, with their previous conversation taking place on June 4, 2025, just over a month after Leo XIV's election.
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