Overview

• The Pope condemned Russia’s invasion as an aggressive war and called on President Putin to demonstrate goodwill with a clear peace gesture.
• They assessed Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis and reviewed plans for an exchange of prisoners and the remains of fallen soldiers arranged in Istanbul.
• Putin asked Leo XIV to advocate for religious freedom for the Moscow-aligned Orthodox Church in Ukraine despite Kyiv’s security concerns.
• Both sides agreed to maintain contact and strengthen Vatican–Kremlin ties based on shared spiritual and moral values, including cultural and humanitarian collaboration.
• The Kremlin highlighted its efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families and characterized its approach as seeking a political and diplomatic solution.