Melania Trump Brokers Ceasefire in Occupied Oleshky as Thousands Face Starvation
The White House says First Lady Melania Trump has secured a temporary local ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the occupied city of Oleshky, where civilians are running out of food and water.
The truce, set to begin October 29, will allow humanitarian aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians through a safe corridor.
The White House announced Friday that First Lady Melania Trump has brokered a local ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, a frontline town in Ukraine's southern Kherson region where thousands of civilians face severe shortages of food, water and electricity [269757][269877]. Both Moscow and Kyiv have confirmed the agreement [269757][269827].
The truce is set to begin on October 29 [269849][269788]. It aims to allow humanitarian aid into the city and let civilians evacuate through a safe corridor [269849][269590]. The first lady said the situation in Oleshky is "on the brink of disaster" [269590].
The White House said Melania Trump initiated the discussions and worked with a representative to secure the agreement [269590]. She described the ceasefire as "temporary," though it is not clear exactly how long it will last [270015][270028]. The truce will proceed only if Russia and Ukraine implement the agreement [269788].
Residents of Oleshky have reportedly been forced to eat garden weeds to survive, and escape routes have been blocked [269461][269788]. Some people are surviving on weeds amid the severe shortages [269877].
The agreement comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said negotiators would meet next month for wider talks [269827]. Russia, Ukraine and the United States will hold trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November, the Kremlin said, focusing on guaranteeing both countries' security once a peace deal is reached [269129].