Pope Leo holds conversation with Putin

Pope Leo XIV. Photo: @Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a statement published on the official Kremlin website on the evening of June 4, 2025.

Putin once again congratulated the Pontiff on his election and wished him “success in fulfilling his high mission.”

Both parties acknowledged the significant personal contribution of Pope Francis in strengthening relations between Russia and the Vatican and agreed to continue efforts aimed at further developing these ties “based on shared spiritual and moral values, in the interest of building a more just world order.”

Pope Leo and President Putin agreed to cooperate in the cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as in the protection of Christians and Christian holy sites in various regions of the world, particularly in the Middle East.

The Russian president conveyed well-wishes from Patriarch Kirill for the Pope’s pastoral ministry, to which the Pontiff responded by affirming the importance of continuing the “essential dialogue between the two sister churches.”

“In exchanging views on the situation in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his interest in achieving peace through political and diplomatic means, emphasizing that a final, just, and comprehensive resolution to the crisis requires addressing its root causes,” the Kremlin reported.

The conversation also touched on the resumption of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul, particularly regarding agreements on the exchange of prisoners of war, the repatriation of bodies, and the reunification of children with their relatives.

“In view of the well-known policy of the Kyiv authorities aimed at dismantling the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, hope was expressed that the Holy See will take a more active stance in defending freedom of religion in Ukraine,” the statement said.

According to kremlin.ru, “the conversation was constructive. Both sides expressed their intention to continue contacts.”

As the UOJ previously reported, Pope Leo had earlier called for support of “any initiative for dialogue and peace” in Ukraine.

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