Pope Leo XIV has made a direct personal appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in the occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region. The call took place on Friday from Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic, where the Pope is recovering from surgery for lung cancer, and came on the same day he celebrated his first Mass since the operation.
The Vatican confirmed that the Pope expressed "deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation" in Oleshky and called for a truce to allow the delivery of food and medical supplies, as well as the voluntary and safe evacuation of civilians. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, said it was "the Holy Father who took the initiative" to contact Putin, describing the situation as critical: around 2,000 civilians remain trapped in the city, needing safe routes out and humanitarian corridors.
"I believe the Pope asked for a truce to allow both the delivery of humanitarian aid, especially food, and the evacuation of those who must leave the city," Parolin told reporters. He added: "I hope that when faced with a request from the Holy Father, President Putin will agree to implement what has been asked of him."
A second conversation between Moscow and the Vatican
This is the second time Pope Leo XIV and Putin have spoken. Their first telephone conversation took place on 4 June 2025, less than a month after Leo XIV's election. That earlier call was seen as an opening gesture toward dialogue, but Friday's exchange was more pointed, focusing on a specific humanitarian crisis.
According to a statement carried by Russian news agencies, Putin thanked the Pope for his willingness to help resolve the conflict in Ukraine and for his humanitarian initiatives, and wished him a speedy recovery. No commitment to a ceasefire was reported from the Russian side.
The appeal comes amid a broader deterioration in the region. Russian strikes have recently hit nine Ukrainian regions, and tensions between Kyiv and Washington have deepened, as recent attacks and diplomatic friction illustrate. The Vatican's intervention is a rare high-level attempt to open a humanitarian corridor in a war that has repeatedly seen such efforts fail.
Oleshky, a small city on the Dnipro River's left bank, has been under Russian occupation since early in the invasion. Its civilian population has faced severe shortages of food, water, and medicine, with reports of residents unable to leave safely. The Pope's request, if heeded, could provide a lifeline for those still there.
Cardinal Parolin's comments underscore the Vatican's growing willingness to engage directly with Moscow, even as other European institutions take a harder line. The European Union has been divided over how to respond to Russia, with some leaders, such as Bulgaria's prime minister backing a Trump-Putin diesel deal, breaking with the bloc's consensus. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has warned that such deals hand Putin a strategic win, as reported by European Pulse.
The Pope's health remains a factor. He is said to be recovering well from surgery, but his ability to engage in such high-stakes diplomacy while hospitalized is notable. His first Mass since the operation was a private affair, but his public duties are expected to resume gradually.
Whether Putin will respond positively to the Pope's plea is uncertain. The Russian president has previously used humanitarian pauses as tactical tools, but international pressure, including from the Vatican, may carry weight. For the civilians of Oleshky, the coming days will be decisive.
