Pope tells Zelenskyy of his humanitarian ceasefire request to Putin over Oleshky, Vatican says

As of 2:56 p.m. ET, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026

Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, Oct. 19, and raised the situation in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

"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 said. "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." The pope also "reaffirmed the commitment of the Holy See to promoting dialogue and peace," according to the statement, which Vatican News published at 12:18 p.m. ET.

Zelenskyy said on Telegram at 2:31 p.m. ET that he wished the pope "a full and speedy recovery after surgery" and was grateful that "even in this difficult personal period His Holiness remembers Ukraine and prays for our people." He said he told the pope "in detail about the situation with Russian escalation, Russia's constant strikes on Ukrainian cities and communities." (Translated from Ukrainian by GROKsiNEWS.com.)

"We also talked about the humanitarian catastrophe in temporarily occupied Oleshky. We are working to help our people there. We are preparing solutions. His Holiness informed me about contacts with the Russian side on this matter," Zelenskyy wrote. (Translated from Ukrainian by GROKsiNEWS.com.) He said they also discussed security threats, including what he described as the periodic absence of warnings from partners about Russian ballistic missile attacks.

The pope, who is recovering from lung cancer surgery, spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 16 and asked him to arrange a ceasefire to allow aid into Oleshky, Reuters reported. Residents of the town, occupied by Russian forces since February 2022, have reported a deepening food crisis, according to Reuters.

Russia's account of the Oct. 16 call, posted by its Foreign Ministry, did not mention a ceasefire. It said that in response to the pope's concern for civilians in the town, "comprehensive explanations were provided regarding the Kiev regime's responsibility for the difficult humanitarian situation there," and that support was expressed for the Vatican's intention to help ensure the population's safety and arrange deliveries of vital supplies. "It was agreed to cooperate on this matter," the account said. Zelenskyy's account of the call was posted on his Telegram channel; GROKsiNEWS.com found no Kremlin comment on the pope's call with Zelenskyy as of 2:56 p.m. ET.