Pope Leo speaks with Putin, calls for ceasefire in Ukraine's Oleshky
Pope Leo XIV and Russian President Vladimir Putin (collage: RBC-Ukraine)
Pope Leo XIV and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone. According to the Holy See's press office, citing Corriere della Sera, they discussed the critical situation in Oleshky in Ukraine's Kherson region.
The Holy See says the Kremlin leader called the Pope while the Pope was in the hospital. The pontiff is there after being diagnosed with lung cancer in recent days.
"During the conversation, His Holiness expressed deep concern about the severe humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky in the Kherson region, calling for a ceasefire to ensure the delivery of food and medical aid, as well as the voluntary and safe evacuation of civilians," the statement said.
The Pope also reaffirmed the Vatican's commitment to dialogue and peace between Ukraine and Russia.
Notably, Russian-occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region remains in an extremely dire humanitarian situation due to the fighting and limited access to the city. Residents struggle to access food and medicine, while delivering essential aid and evacuating civilians has become increasingly difficult.
Phone call between the Pope and Putin
As previously reported, this was the second phone call between the Pope and the Kremlin leader. They previously spoke on June 4 last year.
Pope Francis last spoke with Putin on December 17, 2021, his birthday. After Russia invaded Ukraine and launched its full-scale war on February 24, 2022, all of Francis' attempts to contact the Russian president directly proved unsuccessful.
