Pope Leo XIV telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to ask for a humanitarian truce in Ukraine. After celebrating mass at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome where he is hospitalized for the removal of a lung adenocarcinoma, the Pontiff had a conversation this afternoon, Friday 16 October. At the center of the conversation was the war in Ukraine, with the situation in Oleshky, a city occupied by Russian forces in the Kherson region, where around 1,700 civilians were trapped without regular access to food and medicines.
What Putin said on the phone with the Pope: the agreement
“During an exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin thanked the Pope for his willingness to contribute to the resolution of the conflict and for his efforts on the humanitarian front,” the press service of the Russian presidency reported. However, Moscow has attributed responsibility for the ongoing crisis in Oleshky to the Ukrainian authorities.
“Since the Pontiff expressed concern about the fate of civilians in the Russian city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, comprehensive explanations were provided regarding the responsibility of the Kiev regime for the difficult humanitarian situation in that area”, reads the Kremlin note.
It is no coincidence that the definition of “Russian city” is used: Oleshky is in fact located in the internationally recognized Ukrainian territory, but has been under Russian military occupation since 2022. The Kremlin also announced support for the Vatican initiative: “Support was expressed for the Vatican’s intention to contribute to creating the conditions to guarantee the safety of the local population and organize the sending of basic necessities”. “The conversation took place in a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect,” the Kremlin concluded.
Leo XIV’s request: a truce to save civilians
“During the conversation – we read in the Vatican statement – the Holy Father expressed grave concern for the serious humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, asking for a truce to allow the arrival of food and medical aid and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population”. The Pope also reiterated “the Holy See’s commitment to dialogue and peace”.
It is the second telephone conversation between Leo
Diplomatic contacts did not stop. At the end of September, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, went to Moscow to address various humanitarian issues, including the exchanges of prisoners of war, the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families and the situation of the population of Oleshky.
The latest news on the war between Russia and Ukraine
Leo
Today, October 16, Russian attacks on nine Ukrainian regions resulted in electricity outages for hundreds of thousands of families, according to Ukrainian authorities. The latest UN report, published on October 15, documents 328 civilians killed and 2,105 injured in September alone, an overall number of victims 85% higher than in the same month in 2025.
On the diplomatic front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking today at the European Council in Brussels, accused Moscow of not really wanting to put an end to the conflict and asked Europe for another 70 billion euros in support for 2027. Tensions also remain with Washington after American President Donald Trump’s controversial initiative to suspend attacks on energy infrastructure. Just on October 15, Ukrainian forces struck a Russian refinery in the Ryazan region, after Zelensky announced that he no longer wanted to respect the energy truce proposed by the United States.