US First Lady Melania Trump has helped secure a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian controlled city of Oleshky, with the agreement scheduled to begin on October 29. The arrangement is intended to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and provide safe passage for civilians seeking to evacuate.
US First Lady Melania Trump has secured an agreement for a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, the White House announced on Friday, October 23.
Under the agreement, both sides have committed to temporarily suspending military action in the southern Ukrainian city from October 29 to facilitate humanitarian assistance and prepare a designated safe passage for civilians wishing to leave the area.
Oleshky, located across the Dnipro River from Ukrainian controlled Kherson, has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. The city is facing a serious humanitarian crisis, with residents reportedly experiencing shortages of food, clean water, medicine and electricity.
According to the White House, the city’s population has fallen from approximately 24,000 before the war to an estimated 1,700 to 2,000 people, many of them elderly residents, alongside around 50 children. The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023 also resulted in extensive flooding across the area.
Melania Trump said she and her representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to establish the terms of the localised ceasefire. The initiative builds on communication channels previously used in efforts to reunite Ukrainian children separated from their families during the war.
Under the proposed arrangement, civilian representatives from both countries are expected to visit residents to assess their needs and coordinate assistance. Those who wish to evacuate are expected to receive transportation to their preferred destinations, whether in Ukrainian-controlled territory or Russia. An American media organisation is also expected to document the operation.
The Kremlin has welcomed the agreement, while Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia has said humanitarian efforts would proceed once the ceasefire takes effect. The arrangement is limited to Oleshky and does not represent a nationwide ceasefire or an end to the wider war.
The planned ceasefire marks a humanitarian diplomatic effort amid continued fighting between Russia and Ukraine. Its success will depend on the implementation of the agreement, the safe delivery of supplies and the protection of civilians throughout any evacuation.
