Seoul Gazette - Melania Trump says she brokered truce in war-torn Ukrainian city

Her unusual intervention comes as her husband, President Donald Trump, pursues a full end to Russia's war with a sudden pivot to Moscow that has alarmed Kyiv.

"The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster," the 56-year-old Melania Trump said in a statement released by the White House.

"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."

Residents in the Russian-occupied city would be allowed to choose to evacuate to either Ukraine or Russia under the truce, which would begin on October 29, the statement said.

The Slovenian-born former model has been pursuing a parallel diplomatic track on Ukraine since October 2025, when she announced that she established a channel of communication with Putin.

She has since helped reunify more than 30 children separated from their parents by the war, her office says.

- 'Significant contribution' -

Russia and Ukraine both said they would cooperate on the truce, with the Kremlin praising Melania Trump's role.

"We welcome the efforts of the First Lady of the USA, Melania Trump, who has made a significant contribution to the ceasefire," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia's army chief Valery Gerasimov said the ceasefire would start on October 27, two days earlier than Melania Trump's office said, and also mentioned a halt in operations in the Kherson region.

President Trump also praised his wife, telling reporters that the Oleshky ceasefire was "her initiative" and she wanted to "save children."

Asked if Melania could participate in trilateral Ukraine-Russia-US peace talks that the Kremlin says will resume in Abu Dhabi next month, Trump replied: "No, but it's not the worst idea I've ever heard."

Trump's comments reflected his mercurial approach to the Ukraine war, with the US leader recently feuding once again with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky complained on Friday that Ukraine was still having problems using the military-grade version of the Starlink communications service, a day after Trump said tech titan Elon Musk had restored access.

"Unfortunately the speed limits on Starlink and Starshield are still there," Zelensky told the Hudson Institute thinktank. He said Kyiv was also waiting for US interceptor missiles to protect it from Russian strikes.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham separately "underlined the importance for Ukraine to have full access to Starlink" in a call with Trump on Friday, Downing Street said.

But Trump told reporters he would speak to Musk if there was still an issue. "If there is a problem, I will get it straightened out," he said.

- Food shortages -

The US leader has pivoted back towards Moscow over the past two weeks, announcing a diesel deal that he hopes will bring down oil prices sent soaring by the Iran war and postponing sanctions on Russia.

Moscow has in exchange freed a US detainee -- and now apparently given Trump's wife a gift.

Melania Trump said she had worked with the Russian and Ukrainian leaderships on the Oleshky plan. Civilian leaders from both countries would both visit the devastated city to assess aid needs, she said.

"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.

An "impartial American media organization" would accompany Russian and Ukrainian teams to ensure residents' wishes were respected, she added, without naming the outlet.

Oleshky, on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, was seized by Russian troops in 2022. The population has dropped from about 24,000 before Russia invaded to around 2,000 today.

Former residents of the city told AFP earlier this month that people there were caught in the crossfire between Russia and Ukraine and facing worsening shortages of food and medication.

I.Jang--SG