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Russia and Ukraine confirmed Friday that they had agreed to a temporary ceasefire in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky in Ukraine's Kherson region, following an announcement by U.S. first lady Melania Trump that she had helped broker the agreement.
In an unexpected announcement, Melania Trump said she had secured a localized ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged city, where residents remain trapped amid worsening food shortages.
"The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster," the 56-year-old wife of U.S. President Donald Trump said.
"It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible."
The announcement comes a year after the Slovenian-born former model revealed that she had established a channel of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin to reunite children separated from their parents by the war.
It also comes as President Trump intensifies efforts to end Russia's four-and-a-half-year war against Ukraine, increasingly shifting his diplomatic approach toward Putin and away from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Kremlin welcomed Melania Trump's "humanitarian" involvement, while Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Moscow would suspend military operations in the Oleshky area starting at 4 a.m. Moscow time (1 a.m. GMT) on Oct. 27 to facilitate the humanitarian operation, according to state news agency TASS.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian military officials were working to coordinate the ceasefire, praising the U.S. first lady's efforts to secure the humanitarian agreement.
"Those who wish to leave the town will be able to do so," Peskov said.
He stressed that the operation would require extensive and complex preparations involving multiple parties, with Melania Trump playing a coordinating role.
Peskov also said the humanitarian initiative had been discussed during a recent telephone conversation between Putin and Trump.
Asked about evacuation routes, he said further details would be provided by the Russian Defense Ministry if cleared for public release.
Peskov declined to specify how long the operation would last but suggested it could take at least several days.
Addressing reports that Trump had ordered the restoration of Starlink and Starshield satellite communications capabilities over Ukrainian territory, Peskov said military cooperation between Washington and Kyiv had never been suspended.
“There’s no need to look at things through rose-colored glasses,” he said, adding that Ukraine had continued attempting to strike targets inside Russia.
Nevertheless, Peskov said the ongoing military cooperation had not prevented Moscow and Washington from coordinating the humanitarian operation and reaching agreements on “complex details.”
“We are, of course, grateful to the American side, to the first lady, Mrs. Trump, and to Mr. Trump himself, President Trump, for their significant involvement in addressing humanitarian issues,” he said.
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, also confirmed the temporary ceasefire, saying the agreement provides for a halt in hostilities, humanitarian aid deliveries to Oleshky and safe passage for civilians seeking to leave the city.
“The whole world now knows about Oleshky,” Lubinets said in a video address posted on Telegram.
He described the humanitarian operation as extremely complex and said it would be implemented in stages.
According to the White House, the localized ceasefire is scheduled to take effect Oct. 29, allowing humanitarian assistance to reach residents and facilitating the evacuation of civilians who wish to leave.
Under the arrangement, civilian representatives from Russia and Ukraine will visit residents in their homes to assess their needs and determine what assistance is required.
Those choosing to evacuate will receive coordinated transportation to their preferred destinations, whether in Russia or Ukraine.
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