BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 24. First Lady
Melania Trump has secured an agreement between Russia and Ukraine
to establish a localized ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of
Oleshky, allowing humanitarian aid deliveries and preparations for
civilian evacuations through a designated safe passage.
According to the official White House website, the ceasefire is
scheduled to take effect on October 29, 2026.
“The situation in Oleshky is dire. The city is a front-line war
zone on the brink of disaster,” Melania Trump said, noting that
most remaining residents are elderly people in urgent need of
medical care, medicine, food and clean water. She added that
residents face limited electricity, mined roads and regular
military attacks.
According to the statement, Trump and her representative worked
directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to agree on the terms
of the ceasefire. Acting as an exclusive intermediary, she
coordinated the agreement’s objectives, timing and operational
arrangements.
Civilian representatives from both countries will visit
residents to assess their needs. Those wishing to leave will
receive assistance and transportation to their preferred
destinations in either Russia or Ukraine, Trump said.
She also announced that an impartial American media organization
would accompany and document the teams’ work to help ensure that
families’ wishes are respected.
Trump said she learned about the situation in Oleshky during a
private discussion at her “Fostering the Future Together” event in
New York City during the 81st session of the United Nations General
Assembly. She added that the communication channel established with
Russia and Ukraine during six previous reunifications involving 34
children had been used to initiate the process. Teams from both
countries have been coordinating arrangements, including demining,
according to the statement.
Oleshky is located in southern Ukraine, across the Dnipro River
from Kherson. Before the war, the city had approximately 24,000
residents. An estimated 1,700–2,000 people remain, including around
50 children. No formal demographic count has been conducted since
2022.
The city has remained on the front line, and approximately 90
percent of its territory was flooded following the destruction of
the Kakhovka Dam.
