Melania Trump announces truce in Ukrainian city 'on brink of disaster'

On Friday, US First Lady Melania Trump declared a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the beleaguered city of Oleshky, where residents are struggling to survive amidst starvation and a lack of essential supplies. In a statement from her office, Trump revealed that citizens in the Russian-occupied city would be granted the choice to leave for either Ukraine or Russia under the truce, which is set to commence on October 29.

The First Lady emphasized that Oleshky, a frontline war zone, was on the verge of disaster and could not receive humanitarian aid without her intervention. The Kremlin welcomed Melania's humanitarian efforts, while Russia's army chief stated that they would honor the truce starting at 0100 GMT on October 27. Ukraine has not yet responded to the announcement.

This development follows Trump's establishment of a channel of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin to reunite children separated by the war, which occurred a year ago. The US President has been striving to end the four-and-a-half-year conflict on Ukraine's soil, often aligning himself more closely with Putin than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump expressed her admiration for her wife, stating that the Oleshky ceasefire was her idea, which originated from her office's contact with both parties. When asked about her potential involvement in upcoming trilateral Ukraine-Russia-US peace talks, Trump responded positively but ruled out participating in the talks directly.

Melania Trump stated that civilian leaders from both countries would collaborate to visit Oleshky and evaluate the aid requirements. The First Lady emphasized that she would act as an impartial American media organization, accompanying and documenting the Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground to ensure residents' wishes were respected.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commended Melania's contribution to the ceasefire in Oleshky, and military officials were working on coordinating the timing of the truce. Oleshky, located on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, was captured by Russian forces in 2022. The population has dwindled from around 24,000 before the Russian invasion to approximately 2,000 today.

Former residents reported that people in the city were caught in crossfire between Russia and Ukraine, and were enduring worsening shortages of food and medication. Melania Trump has chosen to maintain a guarded public image and is rarely seen at the White House, preferring to reside in New York. However, in recent months, she has ramped up her public appearances and launched various initiatives, including one to help older foster children and another to address online harassment.

Last week, Melania Trump unveiled a women's health program during a press conference in the White House Rose Garden alongside her husband, who congratulated her on her efforts. In January, she released a documentary film titled "Melania," portraying a polished image of her husband's return to power. The film was funded by a substantial deal with Amazon.

Earlier this year, she made a rare on-camera statement denying any involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which has long been linked to her husband.