Melania Trump Brokers Ceasefire in Starving Ukrainian City
First Lady Melania Trump has secured a localized ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, where thousands of civilians face severe food and water shortages, with some reportedly surviving on weeds.
The truce, announced by the White House on Friday, aims to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations from the war-ravaged city in Ukraine's southern Kherson region [269590][269877]. Ukraine has agreed to honor the ceasefire and is counting on US mediation to keep the deal in place [270388].
The agreement covers only Oleshky and not the wider front line [270388]. The White House said Melania Trump initiated the discussions and worked with a representative to secure the agreement [269590]. She described the situation in Oleshky as "on the brink of disaster" [269590].
Residents of the city have faced severe food shortages, with some forced to eat garden weeds to survive before the truce was reached [270603]. Thousands of civilians also face shortages of water and electricity [269877].
The pause in fighting will allow humanitarian aid into the city and let civilians evacuate through a safe corridor [269849][269877]. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the localized truce would allow access to the city to reopen, letting authorities deliver food and medicine and allowing civilians to leave the combat zone [270388].
The ceasefire comes as negotiators prepare for wider talks. Zelenskyy said negotiators would meet next month for broader discussions [269827]. Talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are set to resume in November in the United Arab Emirates, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced [270362].
Zelenskyy has said Ukraine supports a US proposal to hold three-way talks with Russia as soon as possible, with the agenda focused on ending the war and preparing for a meeting at the level of leaders [267915].