Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine Seal First Mass Evacuation Deal in 4 Years and 8 Months as 1,711-Day Separation Ends
A rare humanitarian agreement between Russia and Ukraine, brokered with Turkish support, has allowed the evacuation of hundreds of civilians from the battered town of Oleshky in the Kherson region — the first operation of its kind in nearly five years.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, where the two leaders agreed to work together on restoring the Black Sea grain corridor and ensuring safe navigation in the region [276104][276110]. The talks came as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged Moscow and Kyiv to reach a peace agreement, warning that the war is no longer sustainable and could spread beyond its current borders [276092].
In a significant breakthrough, Russia and Ukraine agreed to hold regular humanitarian missions in Oleshky, a town in the Kherson region that had been left without electricity, food, and running water for an extended period [276004]. The city was evacuated on Friday through cooperation between the two countries — the first such rescue operation in four years and eight months of war, according to Reuters [276309]. By evening, evacuees had arrived in Russian-occupied Crimea, according to Russian representative Yana Lantratova [276309].
The evacuation took place under a localized ceasefire that was first arranged to help stranded residents of Oleshky and has since been extended, with both sides reporting no violations [272627]. US First Lady Melania Trump said the truce has expanded within the Kherson region to cover areas beyond Oleshky, aiming to provide safe passage for humanitarian convoys [272327].
For families separated by the conflict, the evacuation brought long-awaited reunions. Dmytro waited near the Ukraine-Belarus border for his wife Larisa, whom he had not seen for 1,711 days. She was among hundreds of people and pets who arrived back in Ukraine on Saturday aboard a bus carrying evacuees from Oleshky [276113].
The United States is reviewing a Turkish proposal on Black Sea grain shipments, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, stressing that talking to both sides is essential for any peace deal. "How can you have a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine if you don't have the ability to talk to both?" he said [276097].
The developments mark a rare point of cooperation amid the ongoing war and signal growing diplomatic momentum toward broader peace efforts.