US First Lady Melania Trump called for a lasting ceasefire in Ukraine during a meeting at the White House with Russian and Ukrainian representatives. She said that the ceasefire in Oleshky should be used as a foundation for a broader peace process.
„Now we must show the courage we demonstrated in Oleshky to find common ground. Together, we can build something more lasting than a temporary ceasefire“, Melania Trump said.
She described what had been achieved in the city as an example that even a limited humanitarian agreement can create conditions for broader negotiations. „I hope Oleshky will be an inspiration for a broader peace. Every real change begins with a small spark“, the First Lady added.
Six days without hostilities
The ceasefire in Oleshky lasted six days and ended on November 1. It allowed food and medicine to be delivered, as well as residents to be evacuated from the city, which is located in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast.
When the agreement took effect, around 2,000 people remained in Oleshky. Twenty-five buses were used during the humanitarian operation, and according to figures cited by international media, more than 750 people were evacuated. The Ukrainian authorities have not announced a final official number so as not to endanger the people who remained in the city and any possible future operations.
About one-quarter of those evacuated chose to be taken to territories under Russian control, while the rest headed toward Ukraine. Some residents remained in Oleshky after receiving humanitarian aid.
Call for a broader agreement
Melania Trump said that the ceasefire had been possible thanks to the involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. „The ceasefire in Oleshky would not have been possible without Presidents Putin and Zelensky. Their cooperation created a significant precedent for advancing peace in the region“, she said.
Ukrainian negotiator Davyd Arakhamia said that the temporary pause had helped both sides test mechanisms for maintaining calm in practice. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev thanked Melania Trump for her role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Oleshky.
Kyiv and Moscow have expressed readiness to discuss similar humanitarian operations in other occupied areas as well. For now, however, there is no agreement on a general cessation of hostilities in Ukraine.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, lemonde.fr