Melania Trump hosts ceasefire meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials
First Lady Melania Trump facilitated a six-day ceasefire in the Oleshky area, a move praised by Russian and Ukrainian representatives but viewed with caution by some European analysts.
First Lady Melania Trump convened a meeting at the White House with Russian and Ukrainian officials to acknowledge a temporary ceasefire in southeastern Ukraine. The six-day pause in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky allowed humanitarian aid to reach residents and enabled the evacuation of hundreds of civilians.
Kirill Dmitriev, the special envoy of President Vladimir Putin, thanked the first lady, saying that President Putin had personally ordered the ceasefire’s implementation. Ukrainian human-rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets presented Melania Trump with the Order of Princess Olha, 1st Class, Ukraine’s highest award for women, and urged her to continue supporting the Ukrainian people.
President Trump met with Dmitriev at the White House and told reporters that the parties were close to a broader agreement, adding that it could involve “more than Ukraine” and potentially “all of Europe.”
Heather Conley, a former State Department official on European issues, expressed support for humanitarian efforts while warning that the United States should avoid normalizing Russia’s conduct.
The ceasefire expired on Sunday, and the United States is set to lead a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi next week.