Pope Leo XIV held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war.
During the phone conversation, which took place on Wednesday, June 4, the Pontiff appealed for the resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
In addition, Pope Leo advocated for the facilitation of aid passage to affected areas.
“The pope made an appeal for Russia to take a gesture that would favour peace, emphasizing the importance of dialogue to create positive contacts between the parties and seek solutions to the conflict,” Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni stated.
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.
Pope Leo XIV Reaches Out to Putin in a Phone Call
“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,” said Bruni.
This phone call comes after the US President Donald Trump called on the Pope to host ceasefire negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
The Pontiff committed to helping in efforts to end conflicts in Ukraine and around the world.
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Call for the Vatican to Play an Active Role
At the same time, the Pope was called to take a more active role in calling for freedom of religion in Ukraine for members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has historic links to Russia.
Russia has made efforts to maintain positive relations with both Pope Leo XIV and his predecessor, Pope Francis, particularly on humanitarian matters.
Additionally, the Vatican expressed gratitude to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill for extending his congratulations upon Pope Leo’s election.
While Pope Leo acknowledged the gesture, his predecessor, Pope Francis, had previously voiced criticism of Kirill for openly supporting President Putin during the war in Ukraine.
Also Read: UK to Flood Ukraine with 100,000 Drones After Russian Airfield Attacks
Trump Phone Call with Putin
On the same day, June 4, 2025, Trump held a phone call with Putin in a bid to continue with the ongoing peace talks.
During the conversation, the Russian President said he would respond to Ukraine’s major drone attack on Russian airbases.
“President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump said.
Trump stated that while the conversation was productive, it did not result in any breakthrough toward ending the war. The call lasted for more than one hour.
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