Pope Leo, pictured for first time since surgery, calls Putin
Pope Leo XIV, while recovering from lung cancer surgery, held a phone call with Vladimir Putin to advocate for a humanitarian corridor in the besieged Ukrainian city of Oleshky. The Vatican and Kremlin confirmed the discussion, though the practical impact of such diplomatic appeals remains uncertain.
Why it matters
The Pope's intervention highlights the Vatican's ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine despite the pontiff's own health challenges.
Vatican City • Just three days after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, Pope Leo XIV on Friday spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin to call for a ceasefire for civilians to evacuate a besieged city in Ukraine, the Vatican and the Kremlin said.
[On Friday, the Vatican also released the first pictures of the pope since his surgery.]
Since his election in May 2025, Leo has called repeatedly for an immediate halt to the fighting in Ukraine and for diplomacy leading to a lasting peace. That he would wade into the topic again while still in a Rome hospital, recuperating after having part of a lung removed, highlights his commitment to the issue.
Also covering this story
6 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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Pope Leo speaks with Putin from hospital, just days after lung cancer surgery
Shape of Pope Leo's papacy more uncertain after cancer diagnosis
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