Pope Leo XIV, recovering in hospital from lung cancer surgery, spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 16 and asked for a ceasefire and aid for Ukrainian civilians. The Kremlin said Putin voiced support.
According to the Holy See, Leo spoke with Putin and expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, in Ukraine’s Kherson region. He asked for a ceasefire so that food and medical aid could arrive and civilians could leave voluntarily and safely, and he reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to dialogue and peace. The call came the same day as his World Food Day message.
광고 문의 · 300×250Oleshky is a town in the partly occupied Kherson region. Catholic Review, citing the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO), said more than 6,000 civilians remain, including about 200 children. The group says Russian forces have imposed a ‘humanitarian blockade’ and that food was last delivered at the end of May, and it appealed to religious leaders on September 19. These figures and claims come from that group and have not been independently verified.
The Kremlin’s account differs in emphasis. It described the call as held in a ‘constructive atmosphere of mutual respect’, said Putin wished the pope a speedy recovery and thanked him for his willingness to help resolve the conflict. Putin also placed responsibility for the situation in Oleshky on Kyiv, backed the Vatican’s aim of helping protect civilians and deliver aid, and the Kremlin said the sides agreed to cooperate. None of the reports says Putin agreed to a ceasefire itself.
The pope’s health is also in focus. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on October 13 and that surgery confirmed adenocarcinoma. Doctors are awaiting molecular and genetic test results and checking whether the cancer spread beyond the lobe. A medical update spoke of ‘continued improvement’, saying he can handle daily activities himself and could be discharged soon.
Vatican Media on October 16 released the first photos of Leo celebrating Mass alone in green vestments at Rome’s Gemelli hospital. He gave Communion to medical staff and Vatican gendarmes and delivered a homily thanking hospital workers. He is expected to lead the Sunday noon Angelus, though it is unclear whether from the hospital or the Vatican.
His November 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru remains uncertain. The Vatican has published the list of accredited journalists, suggesting preparations continue, but plans can still change. Cardinal Pietro Parolin had suggested earlier that the pontificate might need to be ‘adjusted’, then said on Friday that any adjustments concern only the next trip and the pope’s health. We could not confirm whether the trip will go ahead; doctors’ assessments will likely decide.
