Melania Trump to host Russia, Ukraine officials at White House over Oleshky ceasefire

US first lady Melania Trump will host representatives from Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday to discuss a recently concluded ceasefire and humanitarian operation in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky, the White House announced on Tuesday. The six-day truce, which ended on November 1, allowed emergency aid to reach the town and enabled civilians to leave for Ukrainian-controlled territory or Russia. Melania Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks on the operation at 11 am EST. The White House did not identify the representatives invited to attend. A Ukrainian official told The Kyiv Independent that Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and Russia’s human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova are expected to be present. However, Lantratova is under US sanctions imposed in 2022 and would require a special waiver from the State Department to enter the country. A spokesperson for Lubinets declined to comment to the publication. The White House described the ceasefire as an initiative independently pursued by Melania Trump, saying she had engaged with the two countries and secured a truce in Oleshky and the surrounding Kherson region. The first lady called the operation a success and said nearly 800 people had been evacuated, although neither Kyiv nor Moscow has publicly confirmed the number or the destinations of those who left. The announcement follows a Le Monde report that the humanitarian operation had been negotiated over four months by Russia’s GRU and Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agencies. Citing sources, the French newspaper reported that the two sides had agreed to credit Melania Trump with the ceasefire to appease US president Donald Trump as he seeks a breakthrough in peace negotiations. Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since 2022. Reports suggest conditions in the town deteriorated in mid-2026, with residents facing shortages of food, drinking water, electricity and medical supplies, while Russian forces effectively prevented humanitarian organisations from delivering aid. Under international humanitarian law, Russia is responsible for protecting civilians in territory under its occupation. The Kremlin has publicly ruled out further humanitarian operations of this kind in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Russia and the US have confirmed that trilateral talks aimed at ending the war will resume in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. The negotiations had stalled in February amid the conflict in the Middle East.