Pope Leo XIV urged Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Friday to agree to a ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, allowing humanitarian aid deliveries and the safe evacuation of civilians, the Vatican and Kremlin said.
The pontiff, recovering at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital after lung cancer surgery on Tuesday, expressed “deep concern” about the dire humanitarian situation in Oleshky, in the Kherson region, according to Vatican and Kremlin statements. He called for a pause in hostilities to enable food and medical supplies to reach residents and for civilians to leave voluntarily and safely.
The Kremlin said Putin provided “comprehensive explanations” of what it described as Kyiv’s responsibility for the crisis in Oleshky but added that he “expressed support for the Vatican’s intention to help create conditions” for aid deliveries and civilian safety. The two sides agreed to cooperate on the matter, the Kremlin press service stated.
Oleshky, known in Russian as Alyoshki, has been under Russian occupation since 2022. Conditions there have deteriorated sharply this fall, with residents facing severe shortages of food, water, and medicine amid constant drone attacks, according to reports. Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets previously estimated that around 6,000 residents, including nearly 200 children, remain trapped in the city, with Russian forces blocking evacuation routes.
The call marked the second direct conversation between Pope Leo and Putin, following their first discussion on June 4, 2025, which also focused on the war in Ukraine. The Vatican reaffirmed its commitment to promoting dialogue and peace.
