Melania Trump Secures Ceasefire in Besieged Ukrainian City, White House Announces

The White House says the first lady, Melania Trump, has secured a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in one southern Ukraine city to allow for humanitarian aid to enter and to prepare for a civilian evacuation.The ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine at the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky is reportedly set to begin on October 29 after Ms. Trump and her representative say they worked directly with both sides to define the terms of the pause in fighting.The city, located just across the Dnipro River from Kherson, has been effectively blockaded by Russian troops since the early days of the invasion. Residents have faced severe shortages of food, water, and electricity. Approximately 90 percent of the city’s territory was flooded when the Kakkovka Dam was destroyed.Roughly 24,000 people lived in Oleshky before the war but the population is down to 2,000 or less. Many of the remaining residents are older people who have been unable to leave. There are also approximately 50 children in the city.“The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky’s remaining population consists primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water,” Ms. Trump said in a release announcing the cease fire.“It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible,” Ms. Trump went on to state.Ms. Trump says residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. “I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine,” Ms. Trump said.“What she wants to do is save children, and that’s her focus,” President Trump, on Friday, told reporters at the White House. He said his wife would not be involved in the trilateral talks the White House plans to have with Russia and Ukraine.The first lady says she became aware of the situation in Oleshky during a private discussion at an event she was holding during the United National general assembly gathering.“My representative and I immediately leveraged the communication channel we established with Russia and Ukraine through the previous six reunifications of 34 children,” Ms. Trump said. “Both nations promptly assigned teams to coordinate the complex mechanics involved, including demining,” she added.Pope Leo XIV expressed “deep concern” over the worsening situation in Oleshky during a recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The pontiff has repeatedly called for a humanitarian ceasefire to deliver food and medical assistance to the civilian population.The governments of Russia and Ukraine did not immediately confirm the ceasefire but a top Russian official reacted positively. “First Lady Melania Trump continues her vital Humanitarian and Peacemaking mission,” Mr. Putin’s special envoy and chief negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev, said in an X post.“This is a major, positive step towards peace. History will remember her tireless work to help those in need,” the White House communications director, Steven Cheung, said in an X post.There have been several localized and temporary ceasefires announced during the war, their success “has been patchy at best,” the Kyiv Independent reported.

Melania Trump Secures Ceasefire in Besieged Ukrainian City, White House Announces

Melania Trump Secures Ceasefire in Besieged Ukrainian City, White House Announces

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