Pope Leo XIV praises humanitarian operation in Olechky, Ukraine

Pope Leo XIV praised a humanitarian operation in the Ukrainian city of Olechky during an Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square on November 1, 2026. The Pope noted that the action was carried out for the benefit of the local civilian population. He expressed hope that the cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv required for this gesture would encourage dialogue and lead to further peace initiatives.

The humanitarian truce followed a request made by the Pope on October 16, while he was at the Gemelli Hospital, asking Vladimir Putin for a ceasefire in the Olechky region. The Holy See also announced that it completed a four day humanitarian mission in Ukraine.