Washington (United States) (AFP) – US First Lady Melania Trump called for a new, “more enduring” ceasefire in Ukraine as she hosted officials from the war-torn country and its invader Russia at the White House on Thursday. Trump earlier helped negotiate a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, which ended on Sunday. The brief pause was one of the most notable instances of Russian-Ukrainian cooperation since Moscow invaded its neighbour in 2022.
“I hope Oleshky inspires greater peace. Every significant transformation begins with a small spark,” Trump told reporters at a joint press conference with Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Ukrainian ceasefire negotiator David Arakhamia. “Now we must use the courage we brought to Oleshky to find common ground through a shared concern for the suffering of innocent people,” Trump added. “Together, we can create something more enduring than a temporary ceasefire.”
She concluded by saying that she had written personal letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. “The ceasefire in Oleshky would not be possible without President Putin and President Zelensky. Their cooperation establishes a meaningful precedent for advancing peace throughout the region,” she added.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets presented Melania Trump with a national award for her role in brokering the Oleshky ceasefire that enabled the evacuation of civilians. Dmitriev said that “on behalf of President Putin, on behalf of people of the Russian Federation, we would like to thank First Lady Melania Trump for her distinguished humanitarian role in resolving the Oleshky situation.”
The rare, if brief halt in fighting, which was respected by both sides, allowed roads to be demined and residents to depart for either Ukraine or Russia. The first lady has also been involved in efforts to return Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
© 2024 AFP
