Oleshky Ceasefire: How Melania Trump’s Back Channel With Vladimir Putin Helped Secure Ukraine Truce

US First Lady Melania Trump on Friday made a surprise announcement that she had secured a localised ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the war-battered city of Oleshky, where civilians are trapped and running short of food and medicines. According to a statement issued by her office, the truce in the Russian-occupied city will begin on October 29, with the aim of allowing humanitarian aid to enter and the elderly to be evacuated. There was no immediate confirmation of the arrangement from either Moscow or Kyiv.

In her statement, the wife of US President Donald Trump described the situation on the ground in grim terms. "The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster," she said. She added, "It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible."

Melania Trump Secures Oleshky Ceasefire Between Russia And Ukraine

What Is The Oleshky Ceasefire Plan?

Melania Trump said she worked with the Russian and Ukrainian leaderships on the plan. Civilian leaders from both countries will "work together" and visit the devastated city to assess what aid is needed.

She also said an "impartial American media organization", which she did not identify, would "accompany and document Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process" to ensure residents' wishes are respected.

Evacuation Option For Residents

Those who want to leave will be offered help. "Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine," she said. Vladimir Putin Wants Peace More Than Volodymyr Zelensky, Says Donald Trump.

Why Oleshky Is In Crisis

Oleshky lies on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region and was seized by Russian troops in 2022. Its population has fallen sharply from about 24,000 before the invasion to around 2,000 now.

Former residents told AFP earlier this month that people in the city were caught in the crossfire between the two sides and were facing worsening shortages of food and medication. Vladimir Putin Says Russia Agreed to US Proposals on Ukraine Peace Deal.

Melania Trump's Back Channel With Putin

The announcement comes a year after the former model, who was born in Slovenia, stunned the world by revealing she had set up a back channel of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Her office says she has since secured the "reunifications" of 34 children separated from their parents by the war. In a number of cases, the children had been abducted by Russia.

The development also comes as President Trump steps up efforts to end Moscow's war on Ukraine, largely by pivoting back towards Putin and away from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

First Lady's Growing Public Profile

The 56-year-old First Lady carefully guards her image and is rarely seen at the White House, preferring to stay in New York, where her son Barron is studying. In recent months, however, she has raised her public profile with a series of initiatives, including one to help older foster children and another to tackle online harassment.

Last week, she unveiled a women's health programme at a press conference in the White House Rose Garden, where her husband lavished praise on her. In January, she released a documentary film titled "Melania", offering a manicured view of her husband's return to power, funded by a multimillion-dollar deal with Amazon.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 23, 2026 10:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).