Pope Leo XIV Urges Humanitarian Aid for Besieged Oleshky

Pope Leo XIV spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on October 19 to urge humanitarian cooperation with Russia to address a catastrophe in the occupied city of Oleshky. The Pope sought to facilitate the delivery of food and medical aid and the safe evacuation of civilians, following a previous request for a humanitarian ceasefire made to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Putin expressed support for the Vatican's efforts, he blamed Ukraine for the crisis, and no ceasefire agreement has been confirmed.

During the call, Zelenskyy briefed the Pope on escalating Russian attacks and expressed concern over a lack of advance warnings from Western partners regarding ballistic missile strikes. He further alleged that the United States has slowed military-grade satellite links, delayed Patriot missile deliveries, and stopped sharing intelligence. Zelenskyy specifically raised issues regarding disruptions to defense communications via the Starshield satellite network, stating that some political decision had been made to slow support.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied claims of intentional military communication disruptions. Elon Musk added that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government. These tensions coincide with Zelenskyy traveling to Oslo, Norway, for peace negotiations co-hosted by Finland, while Trump has criticized Ukraine for a lack of reciprocity and waived sanctions on Russia to lower fuel prices.