According to The New York Times, on October 16 local time, Pope Leo XIV, who had just undergone lung cancer surgery, called Russian President Putin and asked the Russian army to impose a ceasefire in the city of Oreshki, allowing trapped civilians to evacuate this besieged Ukrainian city.
The Vatican stated in its statement that Leo XIV pleaded with Putin to allow the delivery of food and medical supplies to the city, and to open safe routes for the evacuation of people. The Pope “expressed deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation” and reiterated the Church’s commitment to promoting dialogue and peace.
The Kremlin statement said that Putin "thanked the Pope for his willingness to promote the resolution of conflicts and the continuation of humanitarian efforts." Russia stated that Putin "supported the Vatican in establishing conditions to ensure the safety of residents in the city and organizing supplies for their daily needs, and both sides reached a cooperation agreement on this matter."
The Kremlin emphasized that during the conversation, Putin explained in detail that the Kiev regime must take responsibility for the dire humanitarian situation in Oreshki. Russia regards this area as Russian territory, as it was occupied and declared part of Russian territory during the military operations in 2022.
Orechki is a small town in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson. According to Ukraine, about 2,000 civilians are trapped there, including approximately 40 children, facing a food shortage. Before the war, traders regularly delivered food to the Orechki market, but this supply was completely interrupted since May this year. Ukraine accuses Russia of blocking the city, and has repeatedly called for organizations to evacuate the residents over the past few months.
The city had a population of about 24,000 before the war. It is located on the left bank of the Dnieper River, and is currently under Russian control. The right bank of the Dnieper River is controlled by Ukrainian forces. However, Ukraine’s attempts to establish footholds on the left bank have been costly and dangerous, and have largely failed.
