From hospital, Pope Leo phones Putin to press for Ukraine ceasefire, aid

Pope Leo XIV called Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone on Oct. 16 to request a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine and the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians. The Holy See Press Office reported that the pope made the call from Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he is recovering from lung cancer surgery performed on Oct. 13.

During the conversation, the pope expressed concern regarding the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, a city in Ukraine's partially occupied Kherson region. The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) reported that more than 6,000 civilians, including approximately 200 children, are trapped in a gray zone near the front line. According to the UCCRO, a Russian blockade has prevented food supplies from reaching the area since late May.

The pope's request coincided with his message for World Food Day, in which he stated that nations must safeguard regular access to safe and sufficient food as a basic human right. This intervention follows a Sept. 19 appeal from the UCCRO for global religious leaders to intervene in the conflict. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha previously noted that residents in Oleshky have been forced to scavenge for scraps and grass due to the lack of available food.