Pope Leo XIV and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation focusing on the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, Kherson Region. This was reported by the Vatican press service, citing Vatican News, according to RBC-Ukraine. The conversation took place against the backdrop of the pontiff's recent contact with Vladimir Putin, after which the Holy See publicly returned the topic of Oleshky to the dialogue agenda with Kyiv.
Call Following Negotiations with the Kremlin
According to the Holy See's report, during the conversation, the Holy Father drew the Ukrainian leader's attention to the difficult situation in the town of Oleshky, mentioning the request for a humanitarian truce previously communicated to the Russian president. The pontiff expressed hope that cooperation between Ukraine and Russia would ensure the delivery of food and medicine to the settlement and create conditions for the voluntary evacuation of residents. Thus, the Vatican effectively recorded that the truce promised after the meeting with the Kremlin was never implemented.
Oleshky: Blocked Residents Without Food and Medicine
The Ukrainian side confirmed that the humanitarian catastrophe in Oleshky was discussed in detail during the call. According to Kyiv, a critical situation has developed in the town due to the actions of Russian occupiers, with local residents blocked without access to food and medicine. Zelensky stated that Ukraine is working to provide assistance to the population and preparing relevant decisions, and also informed the pontiff about Russian escalation and constant strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Absence of Warnings Regarding Ballistic Strikes
A separate topic of negotiations was the periodic lack of warnings from partners about Russian ballistic strikes. According to the head of the Ukrainian state, a similar situation has repeated three times recently. This aspect essentially expands the conversation beyond Oleshky and touches upon issues of air defense coordination and notification, which Kyiv considers critical for protecting civilians.
Vatican's Position: Commitment to Dialogue and Peace
Pope Leo XIV also reaffirmed the Vatican's commitment to dialogue and peace as a path to ending Russia's war against Ukraine. According to the Holy See, the pontiff advocates for humanitarian initiatives — particularly the truce and evacuation in Oleshky — to become a practical element of a broader peace process rather than a formal gesture.
Context: Negotiations with Putin on October 16
Recall that on October 16, Pope Leo XIV and Vladimir Putin held negotiations, during which the pontiff urged the Russian leader to organize a truce in Oleshky to ensure food and medicine supplies and carry out an evacuation. The Kremlin, as usual, blamed Ukraine for the situation, yet the Russian side failed to secure any truce in Oleshky. It was this unresolved issue that prompted the subsequent telephone conversation with Zelensky, in which the Vatican again publicly outlined the priority of humanitarian unblocking of the town.
