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Pope Leo XIV and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a telephone conversation on June 4, as confirmed by the Vatican press office. The discussion centered around peace efforts concerning Ukraine.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, stated, “I confirm that this afternoon there was a telephone conversation between Pope Leo XIV and President Putin.” The dialogue covered various topics of mutual interest, with a focus on Ukraine and peace.
Bruni highlighted that the pope urged Russia to make a gesture promoting peace and emphasized dialogue as crucial for resolving the conflict. They also discussed humanitarian aid delivery and prisoner exchange negotiations involving Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna.
The pope mentioned Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, expressing gratitude for his well-wishes at the start of his pontificate. Pope Leo emphasized shared Christian values as a means to seek peace and religious freedom.
According to Tass, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin noted an escalation in the Ukrainian conflict attributed to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian planes. He expressed hope for increased Holy See efforts in promoting religious freedom in Ukraine, referencing Ukraine's ban on the Russian Orthodox Church.
Putin thanked Pope Leo for his willingness to assist in resolving the conflict but declined an invitation for peace talks at the Vatican. Tass reported that Putin reiterated his interest in achieving peace through political and diplomatic means.
