Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, days after holding a similar conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Source: EWTN News.
During Thursday’s call with Mr Putin, Pope Leo requested a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in Ukraine’s Kherson region that has been facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis. Moscow, however, has blamed Kyiv for the situation, according to a Kremlin statement issued after the conversation.
The humanitarian ceasefire was also discussed during Monday’s call with Mr Zelenskyy.
According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, “In the course of the conversation, the Holy Father recalled the grave situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and made reference to the request for a humanitarian ceasefire that he had presented to the President of the Russian Federation.”
The statement continued: “His Holiness expressed the hope that cooperation between both parties will allow for the delivery of food and medical aid, and for the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population.”
“Finally, the Holy Father reaffirmed the commitment of the Holy See to promoting dialogue and peace,” the statement said.
The telephone conversation with the Ukrainian president marks another step in a diplomatic effort involving Kyiv, Moscow, and the Holy See that began with visits by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Pope’s special envoy, first to Kyiv and then to Moscow.
During Cardinal Zuppi’s visit to Ukraine in June, the cardinal was asked whether the Pope would be willing to advocate for humanitarian assistance for residents of Kherson and Oleshky.
Pope Leo agreed, and Cardinal Zuppi conveyed the Leo’s willingness to intervene on the humanitarian issue during his September 28–30 visit to Moscow.
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Pope Leo XIV speaks with Zelenskyy about humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine (By Andrea Gagliarducci, EWTN News)
