Ukraine, Russia share stage at Melania Trump's event, only Kyiv calls for more Oleshky-style missions
"We would like you to keep going and find new missions and de-escalate as much as possible," David Arakhamia, the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's parliamentary group, told the first lady. "Your mission is above politics."
On November 5, Ukrainian and Russian officials attended a White House event hosted by First Lady Melania Trump to recognize the success of the Oleshky humanitarian operation. Only the Ukrainian delegation called for more missions of this kind. The first lady assisted in arranging a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, which lasted from October 27 to November 1, allowing people in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky to evacuate.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and David Arakhamia, head of President Zelensky's parliamentary group, were part of the Ukrainian delegation. Russian representatives included Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev and human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova. Trump praised both countries' commitment to the ceasefire and their sincere efforts, presenting letters for President Zelensky and President Putin.
The humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, which had been under Russian control since 2022, intensified in mid-2026, leaving residents without essential supplies like food, water, electricity, and medical aid. Dmitriev spoke after the first lady's remarks, honoring a deceased Russian military deminer and presenting Trump with a drawing from a girl whose family had evacuated to Russia.
Dmitriev referred to the ongoing war as the "Ukrainian crisis," downplaying Russia's invasion, while stating that Putin admires U.S. President Donald Trump's peacekeeping efforts. Russian official Lantratova did not speak at the event; she has faced U.S. sanctions since 2022 and required a State Department waiver to travel to Washington.
Arakhamia commended the humanitarian operation as the "biggest de-escalation since the war began" and urged Trump to continue the work, emphasizing that it is separate from politics. Ukrainian Ombudsman Lubinets presented Trump with Ukraine's Order of Princess Olga for her humanitarian efforts, including the return of abducted Ukrainian children. The Kremlin has ruled out further humanitarian operations in the near future.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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