In brief
Melania Trump, former U.S. first lady, allegedly brokered a cease‑fire in Oleshky, a Ukrainian town under Russian occupation, the White House says. The truce will begin 29 October, allowing evacuations and humanitarian aid in a city faced with starvation and shelling. Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed the deal, with civilians to be assessed and possibly transported to Russia or Ukraine. While the duration of the cease‑fire remains unclear, the agreement marks a notable diplomatic gesture amid the war.
The White House says the former United States first lady secured a cease‑fire between Russian and Ukrainian forces in Oleshky, a southern town that has been cut off from supplies.
The truce is set to begin on 29 October, allowing for the evacuation of residents and delivery of humanitarian aid in a city that has been described as “on the brink of disaster”.
According to Ukrainian officials, the agreement came after Melania Trump and a representative worked “directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership” to define the terms of the localized cease‑fire.
Oleshky has endured months of shelling, mined roads and shortages of food, water and medicine, with many residents surviving by eating garden weeds.
The White House statement noted that civilians would be visited by non‑military leaders from both sides to assess needs, and that evacuations would be coordinated, with some residents preferring to go to Russia and others to Ukraine.
Ukrainian MP Davyd Arakhamia said the operation to unblock the settlement would begin shortly, while a Russian spokesperson confirmed that evacuees could leave the area if they choose.
The truce’s duration remains unclear, but the agreement marks a rare diplomatic move by the former first lady amid the ongoing war.
