Ukraine's ombudsman, sanctioned Russian commissioner invited to Melania Trump's White House event, source says

Ukraine's ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, and Russia's Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova will attend a White House event on November 5, according to a Ukrainian official. First Lady Melania Trump is set to deliver remarks on the ceasefire in Oleshky, a town occupied by Russia since 2022. However, Lantratova has been sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2022 and cannot legally enter the country; she would need a waiver from the U.S. State Department to do so.

Melania Trump was commended for her role in brokering the ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, which enabled civilians to evacuate from Oleshky during the conflict. The White House announced on November 3 that representatives from both Ukraine and Russia would join the first lady for her remarks. However, the White House has not disclosed which representatives will attend, and neither Kyiv nor Moscow has commented publicly on the matter.

The humanitarian crisis in Oleshky has worsened since mid-2022, with Russian occupying forces blocking civilians from accessing food and water. They have also conducted drone attacks on those attempting to leave the town. Under international humanitarian law, Russia is required to protect civilians in occupied territories. The first lady referred to the ceasefire as a "success" and claimed that nearly 800 people had been evacuated, though neither Ukraine nor Russia has publicly confirmed the exact number of evacuees or their destinations.

The Kremlin has publicly stated that it will not engage in further humanitarian operations in the foreseeable future.