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Pope Leo XIV Secures Ceasefire in Oleshky
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to secure a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, allowing aid and civilian evacuations.
Pope Leo XIV in popemobile at inauguration.
Pope Leo XIV secured a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, a town in Ukraine's Kherson region, following direct appeals to both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Vatican announced that Pope Leo spoke with Putin on Friday, requesting a temporary ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach Oleshky, where civilians face severe humanitarian needs.
Pope Leo, who is recovering from lung cancer surgery, also spoke with Zelenskyy on Thursday, urging cooperation between Ukraine and Russia to deliver aid and evacuate civilians.
The Kremlin confirmed Putin's call with the Pope, stating that he agreed to help protect residents and provide essential supplies.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the Pope's intervention and confirmed that Ukraine is working to help residents and prepare solutions for their evacuation.
The ceasefire, localized to Oleshky, began on October 29 to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and prepare for civilian evacuations.
Ukrainian officials estimate that more than 6,000 civilians, including over 200 children, remain in Oleshky and its surrounding communities, effectively trapped in a 'gray zone' near the front line.
Tetiana Hasanenko, head of the Oleshky City Military Administration, said residents had remained without drinking water and food for months, with the last food delivery reaching the town on May 26.
The Pope's efforts were overshadowed by claims from the White House that First Lady Melania Trump had secured the ceasefire, leading to criticism that she took credit without acknowledging the Pope's earlier efforts.
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.'
First Lady Melania Trump is facing criticism for taking credit for securing the ceasefire without acknowledging Pope Leo's earlier efforts.
The Pope's intervention and diplomatic efforts have brought a rare humanitarian ceasefire to southern Ukraine, offering hope to civilians trapped under Russian occupation.
What this adds
The evacuation mission allowed for the road out of Oleshky to be demined, ensuring a safer passage for the evacuees.
Background
The evacuation mission allowed for the road out of Oleshky to be demined, ensuring a safer passage for the evacuees.
What's confirmed
- A rumor spread in late October that U.S. f irst lady Melania Trump took credit for brokering a humanitarian ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in Oleshky, Ukraine, even though Pope Leo XIV spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy days before she announced it.
- 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.
What's still developing
- “There is no food, no safety and no escape,” The New York Times reported.
- The pope is back in the Vatican, recovering from the surgery he underwent six days ago to remove a malignant nodule from his right lung.
- The Russian and the 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 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.
- Her office announced on Tuesday that the ceasefire had begun at 4am Moscow time, equivalent to 3am in Kyiv.
- According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the pontiff specifically referred to the humanitarian ceasefire he had requested during his Oct. 16 conversation with Putin.
- The Holy See Press Office announced on Friday that Pope Leo XIV, an American citizen, has voted in the US midterm elections.
- REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Wall Street Journal national security reporter Alex Ward says First Lady Melania Trump essentially stole credit for Pope Leo XIV’s hard work to broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
- 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.
- “And if you also allow me a brief word, a greeting to everyone and in particular to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people has accompanied its bishop, shared its faith and given so much, so much, to continue being a faithful Church of Jesus Christ,” the pope said.
- The length of the journey, he noted, would also allow the Pope to experience something of the diversity of each country.