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Pope Leo XIV Secures Ceasefire in Oleshky
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In Short: Pope Leo XIV secured a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, a town in Ukraine’s Kherson region under Russian control since February 2022, following a series of diplomatic efforts involving the Vatican, the White House, and Ukrainian authorities.
The Holy See Press Office confirmed that Pope Leo spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, expressing deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Oleshky and requesting a temporary ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach the town.
During the call, Pope Leo emphasized the dire conditions faced by civilians in Oleshky, including a lack of food, safety, and escape routes. He urged Putin to agree to a ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of essential supplies and the evacuation of civilians.
The Kremlin confirmed Putin’s October 16 call with the pope, stating that Putin agreed to help protect residents and provide essential supplies. Putin thanked the Pope for his willingness to contribute to the resolution of the conflict and his ongoing humanitarian efforts.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for the Pope's intervention and confirmed that Ukraine is working to help residents and prepare solutions for their evacuation. Zelenskyy noted that the evacuation mission allowed for the road out of Oleshky to be demined, ensuring a safer passage for the evacuees.
The White House announced last week that the first lady had secured a pause in the fighting, but the Vatican outlined Pope Leo’s diplomatic efforts in the days before the ceasefire was announced. Melania Trump thanked the Pope for his support, telling reporters: “It's great to have the Pope's support, and they are starting a ceasefire.”
The ceasefire, which began at 4am Moscow time, equivalent to 3am in Kyiv, is localized to the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky and would allow humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, Pope Leo recalled the grave situation in Oleshky and made reference to the request for a humanitarian ceasefire that he had presented to the President of the Russian Federation.
The Pope’s efforts were met with skepticism from some quarters, with Wall Street Journal national security reporter Alex Ward suggesting that Melania Trump essentially stole credit for Pope Leo’s hard work to broker the ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
Despite the skepticism, the ceasefire has brought a rare humanitarian pause to the region, offering hope to civilians trapped under Russian occupation. The situation in Oleshky is dire, with more than 6,000 civilians, including some 200 children, effectively trapped in a 'gray zone' near the front line.
The humanitarian crisis in Oleshky has been compounded by Russia’s aid blockade and the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in Kherson, leaving residents without drinking water and food for months.
The Russian and Ukrainian sides still need to reach an agreement for the ceasefire to come into force and make it possible for aid to be delivered and people to reach safety.
Pope Leo, 71, is recovering at Rome’s Gemelli hospital following surgery for lung cancer, but his commitment to promoting dialogue and peace amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine remains unwavering.
What this adds
The evacuation mission allowed for the road out of Oleshky to be demined, ensuring a safer passage for the evacuees. The White House announced that the first lady helped secure a temporary ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, but the Vatican outlined Pope Leo’s diplomatic efforts in the days before the ceasefire was announced.
Background
The evacuation mission allowed for the road out of Oleshky to be demined, ensuring a safer passage for the evacuees.
The White House announced that the first lady helped secure a temporary ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, but the Vatican outlined Pope Leo’s diplomatic efforts in the days before the ceasefire was announced.
What's confirmed
- Oleshky and its surrounding communities are estimated to have more than 6,000 civilians remaining there, including some 200 children, who are “effectively trapped in a ‘gray zone’ near the front line,” said UCCRO.
- 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.
- “The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks,” she said.
- "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," said the statement.
- Putin “thanked the Pope for his willingness to contribute to the resolution of the conflict and his ongoing humanitarian efforts,”.
What's still developing
- Ukrainian authorities estimate that up to 6,000 civilians remain in frontline communities including Oleshky and Hola Prystan, among them more than 180 children.
- “The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky’s remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water,” the first lady said.
- “There is no food, no safety and no escape,” The New York Times reported.
- Pope Leo is deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Oleshky, a city on the banks of the Dnieper River in southern Ukraine that sits directly in the line of fire along the war’s southern front.
- But Ward told “Today, Explained” co-host Sean Rameswaram that it was really the Pope who built the bones of the agreement.
- “It’s possible she had a role. I’m going to personally, without too much reporting, say that it was probably more Pope Leo,” said Ward.