Pope Leo has urged Ukraine and Russia to co-operate to allow food and medical aid into the Ukrainian town of Oleshky, where residents have reported a worsening food crisis.
During a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday, the Pope expressed hope that an agreement between the two sides would also enable civilians to leave the Russian-occupied town voluntarily and safely.
Leo “expressed the hope that co-operation 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 Vatican said.
Oleshky has been occupied by Russian forces since February 2022. Zelenskiy did not immediately issue a statement on the conversation.
The Pope spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, asking him to arrange a ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of aid to the town. The Kremlin later said Mr Putin had agreed to work with the Pope to organise supplies, but did not refer to a ceasefire.
Leo, who became pontiff in May 2025, has met Mr Zelenskiy several times. Their most recent meeting was in December at the Pope’s residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, after which Leo called on European leaders to adopt a collective approach to peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
The calls came amid a heavy Russian air assault on Ukraine. Russian forces fired 16 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region and more than 200 drones across the country overnight, in one of their broadest attacks in months.
In a separate drone strike on Monday, six people, including three children, were killed in a park in a village in the north-eastern Kharkiv region, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. He had earlier said that 15 people were injured.
Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi said the drone struck a park where families were with their children.
