Melania Trump successfully achieves ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Both countries agree to temporarily halt ‘all military action in Oleshky’

Melania Trump has announced a localized ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine aimed at bringing humanitarian aid to residents trapped in the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, in a statement published by the White House. Under the agreement, both countries will temporarily halt all military action in the city to allow aid deliveries and prepare for the evacuation of civilians through a designated safe passageway.

The ceasefire is scheduled to begin on October 29, 2026. In her announcement, the first lady said that “the situation in Oleshky is dire” and added that the remaining population urgently needs “medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water.” She continued that the residents also face limited electricity, mined roads, and regular military attacks after the previous attempts at a ceasefire fell apart.

“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 said. She and her representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to establish the terms of the agreement. She said discussions covered the ceasefire’s objectives, timing, procedures, and other technical arrangements, with both countries assigning teams to coordinate the process, including demining.

Residents can choose where they evacuate

The plan calls for civilian representatives from Russia and Ukraine to visit residents in their homes and assess what assistance they need. “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.

The first lady also said she had secured an impartial American media organization to accompany the Russian and Ukrainian teams and document their work. She said the presence of independent media would help ensure that the wishes of individual families are “faithfully respected” throughout the process.

Melania said the situation in Oleshky first came to her attention during a private discussion at her Fostering the Future Together event in New York City, held during the 81st United Nations General Assembly. She said her team then used a “communication channel” established during previous efforts involving the reunification of 34 children across six cases.

Oleshky is located in southern Ukraine, across the Dnipro River from Kherson. Before the war, the city had a population of roughly 24,000 people. The announcement estimates that between 1,700 and 2,000 residents remain, most of them older people, along with approximately 50 children. It also states that the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam flooded around 90% of the city’s territory.

The planned ceasefire is limited to Oleshky rather than a wider halt to fighting between Russia and Ukraine. As Ukraine continued to hit Russian energy facilities, the immediate objective of this ceasefire is to create a window for humanitarian assistance and civilian evacuations.