Melania Trump says Oleshky pause could yield a longer agreement
Kirill Dmitriev, the envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, appeared with first lady Melania Trump at the White House on Thursday as she brought Russian and Ukrainian officials together to mark the localized ceasefire she brokered between their nations. President Donald Trump did not appear at the event.
The ceremony followed the end of a six-day pause in hostilities in Oleshky, a ravaged, Russian-occupied village in the war-divided Kherson region of southern Ukraine. The ceasefire took effect Oct. 27 and ended Nov. 1. The Associated Press characterized the local agreement as the most significant truce since Russia’s full-scale invasion 4½ years ago.
Speaking at Trump’s invitation, Dmitriev thanked her for her “distinguished humanitarian role” in securing the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. He said Putin personally gave instructions as part of the operation and sent his thanks to Melania Trump. The gathering brought officials from both countries together to honor the agreement, which had been signed Oct. 23.
Among the Ukrainian officials who spoke were Davyd Arakhamia, head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party, and Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman.
Melania Trump said she hoped the suspension of hostilities could lead to something more enduring than the six-day ceasefire. “What matters is not the modesty of this beginning but the determination to turn into something extraordinary,” she said.
The White House announced Oct. 23 that the first lady had brokered the ceasefire so humanitarian aid could be delivered and civilians could be evacuated from Oleshky, a place she said was “on the brink of disaster.” The announcement came after Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators reached an agreement to deliver relief to the village.
An estimated 2,000 people remained in Oleshky when the temporary ceasefire took hold Oct. 27. Residents were offered the choice of evacuating to territory controlled by Ukraine or Russia, or remaining in the city with replenished food and medical supplies.
During the pause, residents crossed into Ukrainian-held territory in a major evacuation operation. Evacuees wrapped in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags stepped off buses at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border and reunited with family members.
Ukrainian authorities restricted details of the route to protect people who remained in Oleshky and safeguard future humanitarian missions. They have not said how many residents were evacuated.
Melania Trump said on social media that the humanitarian convoy could safely evacuate more than 750 people. Her statement was not presented as the official evacuation count, which Ukrainian authorities have not disclosed.
The Nov. 5 gathering honored an agreement that had already ended Nov. 1. Melania Trump said she hoped the localized pause could develop into something more enduring, while the number of residents evacuated remained undisclosed.