Six-Day Pause: Melania Trump Brokers Oleshky Ceasefire
The temporary halt to fighting allowed humanitarian aid to reach the Russian-occupied city and enabled the evacuation of hundreds of residents.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
The first lady of the United States hosted a White House ceremony to mark a temporary ceasefire in Oleshky, Ukraine. The six-day pause in fighting allowed humanitarian aid to reach the Russian-occupied city and enabled the evacuation of hundreds of residents.
The reprieve expired on Sunday. It arrives as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to secure a broader agreement to end the war in Ukraine. The event was scheduled just days before the United States leads a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi next week.
Melania Trump described the agreement as a choice for humanity. “We have chosen humanity over war,” she said. “Undeniably, the lives of innocent people must transcend the divisions of war. I hope Oleshky inspires greater peace.”
Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets presented the first lady with the Order of Princess Olha, 1st Class. This is Ukraine’s highest award for women. Lubinets urged her to continue her support for the population. “I have only one request from all Ukrainian nation,” he said, “please continue doing your wonderful work and support people.”
Kirill Dmitriev, a special envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, thanked the first lady on behalf of the Russian Federation. He stated that Putin personally instructed officials to ensure the ceasefire was implemented successfully. President Trump also met with Dmitriev at the White House. He told reporters that the sides were close to a final deal. “It's going to be an agreement. It's going to be a big agreement, and it's going to involve more than Ukraine,” Trump said. “I could even say it might involve all of Europe.”
Heather Conley, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, supported the humanitarian effort but warned against normalizing Russian actions. She noted that the ceremony honored Russian officials for allowing aid into a city they occupied. “The more we create this equivalency where the Russians and the Ukrainians are equal in this crisis, it is putting this thing upside down,” Conley said.
