Melania Trump ‘secured ceasefire’ in Ukrainian city of Oleshky: White House

Key Points:

• The White House announced that First Lady Melania Trump has secured a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, facilitating humanitarian aid and evacuation efforts.
• Melania Trump stated that her representatives negotiated directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to establish the ceasefire terms, allowing around 2,000 remaining residents to evacuate to their preferred destinations in Russia or Ukraine.
• Oleshky, captured by Russia in February 2022 and heavily shelled since, has faced severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and electricity, with civilians living amid mined roads and ongoing military attacks.
• The Trump administration has renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war, including concessions to Russia such as purchasing diesel and waiving some sanctions to mitigate fuel costs linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
• The Kremlin has agreed to resume US-mediated talks with Ukraine next month, while Ukraine reported disruptions to its Starshield military satellite system, which have since been resolved through a new agreement.