Pope Leo XIV spoke by phone Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and urged cooperation with Russia to deliver humanitarian assistance to Oleshky, a city in Ukraine’s Kherson region.

The pope also called for civilians to be evacuated safely. He told Zelenskyy that he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for a humanitarian ceasefire and expressed hope that cooperation would allow food and medical aid to reach Oleshky.

Leo reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to dialogue and peace. The pope described the circumstances as a “grave situation.”

The conversation with Zelenskyy followed Leo’s phone call with Putin on Friday. It was Leo’s second known call with the Russian president since becoming pope; the two previously spoke on June 4, 2025, about the war in Ukraine.

Leo made the calls while recovering at Rome’s Gemelli hospital after surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors had identified a suspected cancerous nodule, and tests confirmed pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

The pope was discharged Saturday. During his Angelus prayer Sunday, Leo said he was gradually returning to his duties. He was expected to hold his weekly audience Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square.