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Pope Leo Urges Putin for Ceasefire, Aid in Ukraine
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 16 from his room in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he is recovering from lung cancer surgery, urging Putin to call for a ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in the Ukrainian region of Kherson.
During the conversation, the Vatican said Pope Leo expressed deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in Oleshky, where ongoing attacks have trapped 1,700 people in what have become ghost towns.
The pope called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population, the Vatican said.
Putin thanked the pope for his willingness to contribute to resolving the conflict and for his ongoing humanitarian efforts, the Kremlin said.
The Kremlin also provided a detailed explanation concerning Kyiv’s responsibility for the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, while expressing support for the Vatican’s aim to facilitate civilian safety and the delivery of essential aid.
The Holy See reaffirmed its commitment to promoting dialogue and peace amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, expressed hope that Putin would agree to the pope’s request for a ceasefire.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described the situation in Oleshky as desperate and called on Russia to allow civilians to leave.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has issued multiple warnings of a dire and Russian-manufactured humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, with food supplies last delivered to the area at the end of May.
Russian forces have imposed a humanitarian blockade, with civilians reportedly scavenge for food scraps and gather grass as there is simply no other food available.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has repeatedly called for both evacuations and humanitarian aid, but Russian officials have refused to permit them.
The pope’s appeal came a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ruled out a general ceasefire in the war, arguing that any pause in fighting would allow Ukraine to rearm.
Pope Leo celebrated mass on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli hospital on the same day, in the first images the Vatican has released of him since the operation.
Background
Pope Leo XIV called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to establish a ceasefire in Oleshky, Ukraine, to allow humanitarian aid and civilian evacuations.
What's confirmed
- Pope Leo XIV “spoke by telephone” with Vladimir Putin, the president of the Russian Federation, from his room in the Gemelli Hospital on Oct. 16 and asked him to call for a ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in the Ukrainian region of Kherson, where the humanitarian situation is dire, the Vatican said in a note sent to the accredited media before noon EDT.
- VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday and called for a ceasefire in a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine, as he recovers in hospital from lung cancer surgery.
- In brief: Pope Leo XIV urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in occupied Oleshky to allow aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
- During the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 23, 51 countries signed a joint letter backing Ukraine and urging Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire.
- Pope Leo XIV expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, urging a ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and the safe evacuation of civilians, the Vatican said.
- Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to promoting dialogue and peace amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
- Putin also provided “a detailed explanation” concerning what he called Kyiv’s “responsibility” for the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, while expressing “support” for the Vatican’s aim to facilitate civilian safety and the delivery of essential aid, the Kremlin said.
- “I hope that, in response to the Holy Father’s request, President Putin will agree to do what the Pope has asked,” Cardinal Parolin added.
- During a phone call with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, Pope Leo XIV called for a ceasefire to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and the safe evacuation of civilians from Oleshky in Kherson region, Vatican News reports, citing the Holy See's press office.
- “It has been agreed to cooperate on this matter,” said the Kremlin.
- (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin Oct. 16, calling for a ceasefire in that nation’s war on Ukraine and humanitarian aid to Ukrainian civilians starving amid a Russian blockade.
- The Holy See Press Office announced that the pope – currently in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital following an Oct. 13 lung cancer surgery – “expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky,” located in Ukraine's partially occupied Kherson region.
What's still developing
- Pope Francis last spoke with Putin on December 17, 2021, his birthday.
- As previously reported, this was the second phone call between the Pope and the Kremlin leader.
- Copyright applies to all Interfax-Ukraine materials.
- Outlets did split on Russian Forces Launch Massive Attack, Leaving 600,000 Without Power in Ukraine → Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin from his room in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Oct.
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- Pope Leo XIV appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for a humanitarian ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky during a phone call from hospital, according to a Vatican News report.
- Published 16 Oct 2026, 23:56 UTC Updated 17 Oct 2026, 05:45 UTC Ukraine War 17 October, 2026 3 min read This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets.