Melania Trump Praised by Russia, Ukraine for Successful Ceasefire

First lady Melania Trump says she hopes the temporary ceasefire at the city of Oleshky can lead to something more enduring in the war between Ukraine and Russia.“Every significant transformation starts with a small spark,” Mrs. Trump told the press Thursday at a White House event that featured Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and a Ukrainian delegation that included the leader of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s party in parliament, David Arakhamia, and negotiator Dmytro Lubinets.The event was to celebrate the success of the now-concluded ceasefire but Mrs. Trump said she would continue to push for more progress.“Undeniably, the lives of innocent people must transcend the division of war,” Mrs. Trump said. “Now we must use the courage we brought to Oleshky to find common ground through a shared concern for the suffering of innocent people,” she added.Mrs. Trump commended both sides for implementing the 6-day pause in fighting. “Each of us can make a contribution that no one else can, and sometimes our greatest step is the simplest act of humanity,” Mr. Dmitriev said. Approximately 800 people evacuated the city — effectively blockaded by Russia since the early days of the war — to relocate to safer regions. The Russian envoy said the ceasefire succeeded in reunifying 34 children with their families in Ukraine and Russia. He presented Mrs. Trump with a painting by an 11-year-old girl who was reunited with her family in Russia. It said “I love Melania.”“This humanitarian mission shows what can be achieved when compassion, determination, and cooperation come together,” Mr. Dmitriev said. “It’s one thing to agree things on a political level and then another thing is to execute things on an execution level,” Mr. Arakhamia, said. “We are creating a momentum where both sides are learning this, little mechanics how to actually keep the peace when the peace comes,” he added.Mr. Arakhamia asked Mrs. Trump to continue her work and find new missions in Ukraine and to work for deescalation as much as possible. “Your mission is above the politics,” he said.The Ukrainians presented the first lady with a state award for her work in rescuing children. “Please continue to do your wonderful work and support people,” Mr. Arakhamia said.Mrs. Trump presented delegation with letters to be delivered to both President Putin and Mr. Zelensky.Despite the brief period of peace in one small area of Ukraine, the deadly war continues. Crews in Ukraine continued to search for victims trapped in the rubble of a former school hit Monday by Russian bombs. Mr. Zelensky said at least 40 people were killed and more than 30 people still under the rubble.Moscow is also unrelenting in attacks targeting Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter.Russian officials blamed a Ukrainian attack on a bus on Thursday that killed five people and wounded 13 others in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Luhansk region.Mr. Zelensky met Thursday with the European Council president, António Costa, to discuss Ukraine’s European integration process and preparations for a trilateral meeting planned next week with Russia and America at the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi. America’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, says the purpose of the negotiations will be to advance President Trump’s goal to end the war.

Melania Trump Praised by Russia, Ukraine for Successful Ceasefire

Melania Trump Praised by Russia, Ukraine for Successful Ceasefire

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