Zelensky awarded the US first lady for her help in Oleski

The decree was published on Wednesday on the website of the Ukrainian president. As explained, the award was given "for significant personal contribution to humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, active human rights activities and charitable activities aimed at saving Ukrainian children and citizens harmed by Russian aggression, illegally deported and forcibly resettled from the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation."

Meeting at the White House

On Thursday, Melania Trump is scheduled to give a speech devoted to the ended truce in Oleski. The First Lady is also scheduled to receive representatives of Ukraine and Russia at the White House.

"First Lady Melania Trump will personally gather representatives of Russia and Ukraine, two countries at war, at the White House. This event marks an extraordinary moment in American history," the Office of the First Lady said.

The Ukrainian delegation is to be led by Davyd Arachamija, head of the Servant of the People party faction in parliament. Human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinec also went to Washington.

Evacuation from the occupied city

Melania Trump previously emphasized that before announcing the temporary ceasefire in Oleski, she held talks with the leaders of both countries. However, its main partners were Lubinec and the Russian commissioner for human rights, Jana Lanratova.

According to the American first lady, thanks to the agreement, nearly 800 people were able to leave the city. The truce lasted from October 27 to November 1. However, the Russian representative said that "significantly fewer than 750 people" had been evacuated.

Lanratova pointed out that the key problems during the operation were monitoring compliance with the ceasefire and demining evacuation routes.

Ołeszki are located about four kilometers from Kherson, on the left bank of the Dnieper, occupied by Russian troops. The Ukrainian authorities had previously raised alarms about the dramatic situation of civilians. According to the American side, about 2,000 people recently stayed in the town. people, including 50 children, without access to food and drinking water.

The evacuation took place via a circuitous route through Russia and Belarus, rather than directly across the Dnieper to nearby Kherson.