U.S. first lady Melania Trump said Friday that a local ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky is scheduled to begin Oct. 29, opening a window for aid to enter the southern Ukrainian city and civilians to leave.
Her office said residents who choose to leave could travel to Russia or Ukraine and would receive coordinated transportation. Civilian leaders from Russia and Ukraine are expected to visit Oleshky to assess aid needs. Melania Trump said an unnamed American media organization would accompany the teams and record their work to help ensure residents’ choices are respected. She called herself an “exclusive intermediary.”
President Donald Trump said his wife had initiated the plan and described her aim as to “save children.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed her involvement and said military officials were working out the schedule.
The Oct. 29 date differs from earlier public accounts pointing to an Oct. 27 halt in the Kherson area, as EconoTimes previously reported. Russian forces seized Oleshky in 2022. AFP reported earlier this month that former residents described people in the city as exposed to fighting from both sides and facing worsening shortages of food and medicine. The ceasefire is due to begin Oct. 29, according to Melania Trump’s office.
