Mediated by Melania Trump - ceasefire for occupied Ukrainian city

The White House has announced a localized ceasefire for the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky. It should begin on October 29 and enable humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians via a safe corridor.

In Oleschky, food and medicine have been in short supply for months. The city located on the Dnipro - the river forms the front line here - has neither electricity, running water nor a functioning heat supply. Access roads are mined and drones are circling over the city. Aid organizations have been complaining about the humanitarian situation for a long time. Ukraine had repeatedly called for a local ceasefire in order to be able to bring people from Oleshky to safety.

The White House says Melania Trump initiated the talks and, together with a representative, negotiated the terms directly with the Russian and Ukrainian leadership. "The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined streets and endure regular military attacks," the first lady said, according to the statement. "Oleschky is a front-line town that is on the verge of catastrophe."

Following the announcement from Washington, Ukraine and Russia also confirmed the agreement. According to Russian information, the ceasefire could even begin on October 27th.

The aim is to create permanent humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of civilians and the delivery of aid, said Davyd Arachamija, a confidant of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who has already taken part in negotiations in the past.

In mid-October, Pope Leo XIV called for a ceasefire in Oleschky during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Pope "called for a ceasefire to enable the delivery of food and medical aid as well as the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population," the Vatican said at the time.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said any civilians who wanted to leave Oleshky would be allowed to do so. The evacuation operation is expected to take at least several days. Peskov also emphasized the first lady's role in the talks.

The First Lady had previously advocated for children separated from their families by the war, and therefore wrote to Putin about a year ago. Recently, however, there was little information about Melania Trump's further involvement in the negotiations. US President Donald Trump has recently been criticized for his course on Russia.

Before the Russian attack, around 24,000 people lived in Oleshky. Russian troops captured the city on the first day of their war of aggression in February 2022. There are currently said to be 1,700 to 2,000 people in Oleschky. According to the White House, these are mainly elderly people and 50 children.