Melania Trump hosts Russian and Ukrainian officials after Oleshky truce
The First Lady urged a lasting ceasefire after a short truce let residents leave the frontline town of Oleshky, while the wider war continued.
Key points
- Melania Trump called for a more lasting Ukraine ceasefire at a White House event, according to BBC News.
- Both Moscow and Kyiv credited Trump with helping broker a six-day truce in the Kherson region.
- Hundreds of residents of Oleshky were able to evacuate during the pause in fighting.
- Her exact role in the ceasefire has not been detailed by either government.
- Russian strikes elsewhere in Ukraine continued during the same week.
US First Lady Melania Trump has called for a longer-lasting ceasefire in Ukraine. She spoke as she received Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the White House, according to BBC News. The meeting followed a recent truce in the southern Kherson region.
During the six-day pause in fighting, hundreds of people left the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky. Residents there had been facing starvation and constant bombardment. Both Moscow and Kyiv said Trump had helped broker the truce, though neither has explained what she actually did.
Read also: Russian strikes kill dozens in Ukraine, including at an aid centre
A rare meeting in Washington
The White House event brought together senior officials who do not usually meet in this setting. Their talks with US mediators on a wider peace deal have made little progress since last year.
The Ukrainian delegation included human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and MP Davyd Arakhamia. The Russian side was represented by its ombudsman, Yana Lantratova, and Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Trump said she had reviewed demining plans and aerial images. She also said she had discussed evacuation routes, hospital access and medical supplies. She described residents walking through familiar streets without fear for the first time in several years.
Dmitriev thanked her for saving many lives and presented her with a framed drawing made by an 11-year-old evacuee from Oleshky. Arakhamia described the truce as the biggest de-escalation since 2022. At the close of the meeting, Trump gave both men letters to deliver to their presidents.
Divided views on who made the truce possible
Speaking after the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the truce showed that fighting stops when Vladimir Putin wants it to stop. He said the same logic applied to Ukrainians held in Russian captivity.
A source close to American officials gave the BBC a different view. The source suggested that Putin had made the truce possible, and that the timing could help Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections.
A source in the Kherson regional government told the BBC that groundwork had been under way for almost a year. That source said other people joined later and took credit for progress already made. Ukrainian analyst Dmytro Levus said Russia’s position had not changed, and that Moscow agreed under American pressure.
Fighting continues across Ukraine
Kherson’s six days of calm contrasted with attacks elsewhere. Drone and missile strikes this week killed and injured civilians in several regions. On Monday, a Russian strike on an aid distribution centre in Zaporizhzhia killed more than 40 people, according to the BBC. More people may still be trapped under rubble.
The conflict started in February 2022 with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It has killed thousands of civilians and forced millions from their homes.
The White House also said Trump had invited guests to look at two historic items she had picked to represent calm between nations. The first was a medicine chest dating from the 1700s, which had been taken out of the building before British forces burned it in 1812. The White House noted that the United States and Britain, once enemies, later built close ties.
The second item was a cup given in 1899 to the French ambassador, honouring his role in ending the Spanish-American war.
Related: Fighting resumes in Kherson after record Ukraine ceasefire ends
Frequently asked questions
What did Melania Trump say about the Ukraine ceasefire?
She called for a more enduring ceasefire and said innocent lives should rise above the divisions of war. She hoped the Oleshky truce would inspire greater peace, according to BBC News.
Who attended the White House meeting?
Ukrainian officials Dmytro Lubinets and Davyd Arakhamia attended, along with Russian representatives Yana Lantratova and Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Their talks were separate from the official US-brokered peace negotiations.
Why did the Oleshky truce matter?
The six-day ceasefire let hundreds of residents evacuate from a town facing starvation and bombardment. Both Moscow and Kyiv credited Trump with helping arrange it, though her exact role is unclear.
Sources
- BBC News: Melania Trump calls for lasting Ukraine truce as she hosts Russian and Ukrainian officials
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