Archbishop Shevchuk meets Pope Leo XIV to discuss Ukraine war prisoners

Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, met with Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace for his fifth audience with the Pontiff. During the meeting, Shevchuk presented a list containing the names of hundreds of prisoners of war currently held in Russia.

The discussions focused on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, specifically the situation in the occupied city of Oleshky, where residents lack food, water, and medicine. Shevchuk expressed gratitude for the Holy See’s diplomatic efforts, including the Pope’s telephone calls to Presidents Putin and Zelensky, as well as humanitarian missions led by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Archbishop Gallagher to Russia and Kyiv.

Shevchuk also addressed the challenges facing the Ukrainian Church, including the need to support religious vocations amidst the demographic and humanitarian crises caused by the Russian invasion. The Archbishop requested continued international solidarity as Ukraine prepares for the upcoming winter.