Pope Leo XIV has made a direct plea for peace with Ukraine to Russian President Vladimir Putin in their first call since the American pontiff took up the highest seat in the Catholic Church last month.
Following the call on Wednesday, the Vatican said the pope emphasized the "importance of dialogue" though it is unclear if he encouraged Putin to engage in direct discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which the Kremlin chief has so far refused to do.
While the pair also discussed humanitarian issues, prisoner exchanges and aid, Putin also apparently accused Kyiv of "escalating" the war during the phone call.
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Putin apparently told the pope "that the Kyiv regime is banking on escalating the conflict and is carrying out sabotage against civilian infrastructure sites on Russian territory."
The claim was in reference to a recent attack on the Kerch Bridge this week, which links Crimea, the Ukrainian territory illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, and Russia.
The attack came after a massive drone operation targeted Russia’s military complex and destroyed dozens of warplanes capable of deploying cruise missiles.
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The attack reportedly prompted Putin to question the value of peace talks, though the Kremlin has already been accused of failing to participate in ceasefire attempts in good faith as it continues to pound Ukrainian cities with drone and missile strikes.
In a readout of the call, the Kremlin also apparently called on the Vatican to "take a more active role" in advocating for religious freedoms in Ukraine when it comes to members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has historic links to Russia.
Criminal proceedings have been levied by Ukrainian authorities against clergy members over suspected sympathies for Moscow.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry in April also accused Russia of religious oppression in occupied territories, where hundreds of churches have been destroyed, and some 67 clergy members killed since the start of the war.
