Melania Trump calls for lasting Ukraine truce while hosting Russian and Ukrainian officials

Melania Trump, the former first lady of the United States, recently hosted officials from Russia and Ukraine at the White House and called for a lasting truce in the war. Both delegations thanked her for an unspecified contribution to the ceasefire, and the presidents of Russia and Ukraine conveyed their gratitude.

During the discussions she said she had reviewed demining plans, aerial images, assessed roadways and talked about evacuation routes, hospital access, vehicles and medical resources. She added, "Last week in Oleshky and neighbouring areas of Kherson, people experienced the simple joys of life for the first time since 2022," and "They walked down familiar streets without fear of explosions."

Dmitriev, a businessman and special envoy for President Vladimir Putin, thanked the US first lady for "saving and touching so many lives" and urged continued humanitarian contribution, before gifting her a framed drawing by an 11‑year‑old Oleshky evacuee. He also praised her work on reuniting children separated from their families, including those allegedly abducted by Russia.

Ukrainian MP Arakhamia, who heads President Volodymyr Zelensky's party in parliament and has taken part in the negotiating team, described the Oleshky ceasefire as the "biggest de‑escalation since 2022" and said the momentum shows both sides learning how to keep peace when it arrives. He said the political track of negotiations remains complex but Ukrainians are asking Melania Trump to keep going and find new missions to de‑escalate further.

At the end of the event Trump handed Dmitriev and Arakhamia two letters to be hand‑delivered to their respective presidents. The White House later reported that she invited her guests to view two historic artifacts she selected as powerful symbols of peace: an 18th‑century medicine chest removed after the British fire of 1812, and a cup presented in 1899 to the French ambassador for his role in ending the Spanish‑American war.

Melania Trump has generally remained discreet on foreign policy matters, and neither Moscow nor Kyiv have elaborated on the nature or extent of her involvement in coordinating the delicate ceasefire – the most enduring and widespread of the war so far. A source working in the local government of the Kherson region told the BBC that work on the Oleshky evacuation had been ongoing for almost a year.