---
title: "Pope Leo XIV and Vladimir Putin Hold Phone Call: Pontiff Urges Truce in Oleshky"
description: "Pope Leo XIV and Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation during which the pontiff expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Oleshky and called for a truce to deliver aid and evacuate civilians."
date: 2026-10-16T16:10:23.738Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/pope-leo-xiv-and-putin-phone-call-oleshky
tags: [pope-leo-xiv, vladimir-putin, vatican, ukraine-russia-war, oleshky, humanitarian-aid]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Pope Leo XIV and Vladimir Putin Hold Phone Call: Pontiff Urges Truce in Oleshky

![Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing a dark suit and tie during an official meeting](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/papa-lev-xiv-i-putin-telefonnyy-razgovor-o-oleshkakh/papa-lev-xiv-i-putin-telefonnyy-razgovor-o-oleshkakh-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Pope Leo XIV and Vladimir Putin held a phone call confirmed by the Holy See's press service.
- The pontiff, hospitalized following a lung cancer diagnosis, called for a truce in Oleshky for aid delivery and civilian evacuation.
- This is the second conversation between Leo XIV and Putin; the previous one took place on June 4 of last year.

The Vatican and the Kremlin have confirmed a telephone conversation between Pope Leo XIV and Vladimir Putin. According to the Holy See's press service, citing RBC-Ukraine via the Corriere Della Sera newspaper, the head of the Russian state called the pontiff, who is currently hospitalized following a recent lung cancer diagnosis. The central focus of the conversation was the critical humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, Kherson Oblast.

### Call for Truce and Civilian Evacuation

In an official statement, the Holy See noted that during the conversation, the Pope expressed "deep concern over the severe humanitarian situation" in Oleshky. Leo XIV called for a truce to ensure the delivery of food and medical aid, as well as the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population. Separately, the pontiff reaffirmed the Vatican's commitment to dialogue and peace between Ukraine and Russia.

### Humanitarian Crisis in Oleshky

The temporarily occupied town of Oleshky remains in an extremely difficult situation due to hostilities and restricted access. According to available data, residents are experiencing severe shortages of food and medicine, while the delivery of essential aid and civilian evacuation are significantly hampered. This was precisely the situation highlighted by the pontiff during his telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin.

### Second Contact During the Pontificate

As the publication recalls, this is the second telephone conversation between Leo XIV and Vladimir Putin. Their previous talk took place on June 4 of last year. By comparison, former Pope Francis last spoke with Putin on December 17, 2021, on his birthday, and after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, all his attempts to directly contact the Russian leader proved unsuccessful.

### Context: Call for Concessions for the Sake of Peace

The phone call with Putin fits into a broader diplomatic context. Earlier, during a trip to France, Leo XIV urged European leaders seeking to end the Russian-Ukrainian war to be prepared to cede some positions to achieve peace, drawing a parallel with Benedict XV's appeal in 1917. The pontiff also warned against expanding defense capacities, stating that "rearmament is not the solution to the problem.">

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Папа Римский Лев созвонился с Путиным и призвал к перемирию в Олешках](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/papa-rimskiy-lev-zatelefonuvav-putinu-i-zaklikav-1792165879.html) - Primary source: the fact of the call, the Holy See's quote on the truce in Oleshky, lung cancer diagnosis, chronology of previous talks (June 4, Dec 17, 2021, Feb 24, 2022).
- [Война 1679-й день. Папа римский призвал Европу быть готовой «к уступкам в некоторых вопросах» ради ...](https://meduza.io/feature/2026/09/29/voyna) - Context: Leo XIV's statement in France on readiness for concessions for peace and warning against rearmament (Sep 29, 2026).

## FAQ

### Who initiated the phone call?

According to the Holy See's press service, Vladimir Putin called Pope Leo XIV, who was hospitalized at the time.

### Why is the Pope in the hospital?

Leo XIV was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and is undergoing treatment at a medical facility.

### How many times has Leo XIV spoken with Putin?

This is their second telephone conversation; the previous one took place on June 4 of last year.

### What is Leo XIV's nationality?

Leo XIV is a pontiff of American origin, as noted in the publication's materials.