Oleshky residents await six-day halt in fighting after First Lady secures truce
Melania Trump’s office says she acted as the sole intermediary to pause hostilities starting Thursday, a move that bypassed standard diplomatic channels.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
The first lady’s office announced on Friday that a six-day ceasefire will take effect in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky starting Thursday, Oct. 29. The pause in hostilities is designed to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians and prepare for evacuations. The announcement attributed the agreement solely to Melania Trump, rather than to President Donald Trump or other senior administration officials.
Mrs. Trump stated that she acted as the "Exclusive Intermediary" for the arrangement. Her office said she worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to establish the terms. She coordinated the technical procedures, timing, and processes for the localized truce. The goal is to halt all military action in the city to open a designated safe passageway for civilians.
Both the Russian and Ukrainian governments have not yet issued public statements regarding the announcement. However, Ukrainian officials indicated that a tentative agreement exists for the occupied territory. Mrs. Trump described the city as a front-line war zone on the brink of disaster. She noted that most remaining residents are elderly and require urgent medical attention, medicine, and food.
Under the agreed terms, non-military civilian leaders from both nations will visit residents in their homes to assess needs. Those who choose to leave will receive coordinated transportation to their preferred destination. Mrs. Trump predicted that some evacuees will go to Russia while others will head to Ukraine. Newsmax has agreed to document the work of the aid teams.
White House communications director Steven Cheung called the development amazing news on X. He described the truce as a major positive step towards peace. He added that history will remember the first lady’s tireless work to help those in need. The announcement follows a recent call between Pope Leo and President Vladimir Putin, during which the pope expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Oleshky.
The truce arrives at a time when President Trump’s broader efforts to end the war have stalled. He has recently expressed frustration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Earlier this week, Trump told reporters that Russia has been fine on Ukraine and has not been doing much. He also suggested that Ukraine should have a new leader.
Mrs. Trump has previously worked to reunite 34 children with their families after Russia forcibly removed them. She said that without her intervention, bringing in aid and evacuating the elderly population of Oleshky would have been impossible. The ceasefire is set to begin on Thursday, giving civilians a limited window to secure essential supplies or arrange their departure.
