First lady Melania Trump hosted representatives from Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday, taking on an unusual diplomatic role as she seeks to build on a humanitarian ceasefire she helped broker between the two warring nations.
The gathering marks a rare occasion in which an American first lady has personally facilitated diplomatic engagement between countries at war, extending Mrs. Trump’s increasingly active involvement in negotiations over humanitarian issues stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It’s also the first time the two sides have met face-to-face at the White House. The Trump administration has increasingly pushed for progress in broader peace negotiations, with U.S. officials set to lead trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi next week.
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Mrs. Trump and officials from Ukraine and Russia discussed a temporary ceasefire in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Oleshky, where hundreds of civilians were recently evacuated after enduring years of fighting, shortages of food and medicine, and deteriorating living conditions.
“We have chosen humanity over war. Undeniably, the lives of innocent people must transcend the division of war. I hope Oleshky inspires greater peace. Every significant transformation begins with a small spark,” Mrs. Trump said. “Now we must use the courage we brought to Oleshky to find common ground through a shared concern for the suffering of innocent people.”
The White House credited Mrs. Trump with independently opening communications between Moscow and Kyiv and helping secure the ceasefire, which let humanitarian workers enter Oleshky and evacuate children and vulnerable residents.
Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, presented Mrs. Trump with a picture drawn by a little girl in Oleshky that said, “I love Melania Trump.”
Mr. Dmitriev credited the first lady with reunifying 34 children with their families in Oleshky.
Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets awarded Mrs. Trump the Order of Princess Olga First Class, a decoration to honor women for their outstanding personal contributions to the country. He said the award was approved by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Oleshky truce, which began Oct. 27, has enabled the evacuation of roughly 750 residents from the city, where 2,000 people remained despite the fighting. Many of those left behind were elderly residents unable to escape.
Mrs. Trump hailed Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelenskyy for their efforts to achieve peace in Oleshky. She said she wrote letters to both leaders urging them to end the war, which began in February 2022, and gave them to the officials from each nation in attendance.
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