Fact-check: The phone call between Putin and Pope Leo XIV took place on June 4, 2025, as widely reported by credible sources including Vatican News, Reuters, and America Magazine. Bishop Nikolay Dubinin's description of it as 'long-awaited yet jolting' is directly from a TASS interview published June 5, 2025, with no contradictions found. While not currently discussed on X, the event and quote are well-verified historically.
Russian bishop describes Putin-pope call as long-awaited yet jolting
A Russian bishop, Nikolay Dubinin, described a phone call between Vladimir Putin and the Pope as long-awaited yet jolting, noting that the shared desire to develop ties based on common spiritual values was received with great joy. The call signals a potential thaw in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church-aligned Kremlin and the Vatican, which has been active in peace diplomacy related to the Ukraine conflict.