Pope Leo urged Russia to take steps towards ending the conflict in Ukraine when he spoke to President Vladimir Putin for the first time, the Vatican said on Wednesday.
“The pope made an appeal for Russia to make a gesture that favours peace, emphasising the importance of dialogue for achieving positive contacts between the parties and seeking solutions to the conflict,” the Vatican said.
It confirmed that Leo, the first U.S. pope, had spoken by telephone to Putin on Wednesday afternoon. The readout of the call was unusual for the Vatican, which does not always issue statements about papal phone calls.
Pope Leo XIV and President Putin also discussed the ongoing efforts for prisoner exchanges and the value of the work that Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna, is doing in this regard. Zuppi, the archbishop of Bologna, has been the Vatican’s peace envoy for Ukraine.
“Pope Leo made reference to Patriarch Kirill, thanking him for the congratulations received at the beginning of his pontificate, and underlined how shared Christian values can be a light that helps to seek peace, defend life, and pursue genuine religious freedom,” the Vatican added.
“There was talk about the humanitarian situation, the need to facilitate aid where necessary, ongoing efforts for the exchange of prisoners, and the value of the work carried out in this regard by Cardinal (Matteo) Zuppi,” the Vatican added. Zuppi, the archbishop of Bologna, has been the Vatican’s peace envoy for Ukraine.
Putin for his part thanked Leo, who became pontiff almost four weeks ago, for offering to help settle the conflict and told him Ukraine was intent on “escalating” the war, the Kremlin said.
US President Donald Trump has previously said the pope offered to host Russia-Ukraine negotiations at the Vatican.
