Pope Leo in rare call with Putin, urges cease-fire for beleaguered Oleshky

 VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo spoke on the telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday and “expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation” in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky, where thousands of citizens are starving, and called for a cease-fire there, the Vatican said Friday.

 The pontiff spoke to Putin from his hospital bed in Rome as he was recuperating from an operation for lung cancer he underwent earlier this week.

 “Today, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with His Excellency Mr Vladimir

 Putin, President of the Russian Federation,” the Vatican said in a statement. “During the conversation, the Holy Father expressed his deep concern about the grave

humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population,” the statement continued.

 “Finally, the Holy Father reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to promoting dialogue and

Peace,” the Vatican said.

 The Holy See has been engaged for years in behind the scenes diplomacy to try and help end Russia’s war on Ukraine, including arranging exchanges of Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war.

 The pontiff spoke to President Putin by telephone on at least one other occasion, in June 2025.