Pope Leo speaks from hospital to Putin about humanitarian crisis in occupied Oleshky after surgery
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From his hospital bed days after lung cancer surgery, Pope Leo spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Russian-occupied Oleshky in Ukraine, calling for a ceasefire to let civilians out and aid in.
Pope Leo held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin from a hospital on Friday, just days after undergoing lung cancer surgery. During the call, the Vatican said the pontiff expressed "deep concern" over the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city in Ukraine's Kherson region where around 2,000 civilians remain trapped and supply routes for food and medicine are blocked. Leo called for a local ceasefire so civilians could be safely evacuated and aid could finally reach them.
"The Vatican's intention to help alleviate the dire humanitarian situation" was said by the Kremlin to have been supported by Putin, according to a Kremlin statement. The conversation was only the second phone call Pope Leo has made since his election. On the same day, he led a Mass in a makeshift chapel on the 10th floor of the Gemelli Hospital, attended by off-duty medical staff. The Vatican reported that he showed "steady improvement" after part of his lung was removed earlier in the week and that he is now able to move and breathe independently. Leo thanked the hospital staff during his homily and announced that he will recite the Angelus prayers on Sunday, marking his first public appearance since the operation. Ongoing medical tests, including blood work and a chest X-ray, are being reviewed to determine whether further treatment is required. The pope’s scheduled engagements remain postponed until at least October 20, and it is uncertain whether his planned Latin America trip in November will proceed, though preparations for the visit continue.