First lady Melania Trump will host officials from Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday and will deliver remarks on a localized ceasefire that allowed civilians to leave the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Kherson Oblast.3,5,7
Her office announced the gathering on Tuesday, saying, "First Lady Melania Trump will personally bring representatives of Russia and Ukraine, two nations actively at war, together at the White House." The announcement followed a brief halt in fighting around Oleshky that her office said she helped arrange, and it comes ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the war.3,5
The Oleshky truce lasted from 3 a.m. on Oct. 27 until 11 p.m. local time on Nov. 1. The White House announced on Nov. 3 that representatives of both countries would join the first lady for remarks on the operation, but it did not name them. The first lady is expected to speak at 11 a.m. Thursday, or 1600 GMT, at the White House.5,7
Her office said, "Mrs. Trump independently initiated engagement" to secure "a ceasefire in Oleshky and the surrounding Kherson region," and called the result a break in fighting that was respected by both sides. Her office said roads were demined and residents were able to depart for either Ukraine or Russia, adding, "This achievement marks an unprecedented diplomatic initiative by an American First Lady."5
It is not yet fully clear who will attend. Russia's state-owned TASS news agency reported Wednesday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, that Moscow's adviser for international economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, and human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova plan to meet Melania Trump on Thursday "provided that all logistical arrangements work out." A Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, and Lantratova were expected at the Nov. 5 event.5,7
Lubinets said publicly that he would meet the first lady in Washington. "I am heading to Washington. Important meetings lie ahead. But while I am on the road, I want to ask you something: If you could convey a single message to U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, what would you say to her?" Lubinets wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Lubinets declined to comment when approached by the Kyiv Independent, which also reported that neither Kyiv nor Moscow has commented publicly.5,7
Lantratova's attendance remains uncertain for a separate reason. The United States government sanctioned her in 2022, making her ineligible to enter the country without a special waiver from the State Department, according to the Kyiv Independent.7
Earlier on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the first lady a national honor for her role in the evacuation. "I hereby decree that the Order of Princess Olga, First Class, be awarded to Melania Trump, First Lady of the United States of America," a decree on the Ukrainian presidential website said. The text acknowledged her "significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine, and for active human rights and charitable work."5
Oleshky, in Ukraine's southern Kherson Oblast, has been under Russian occupation since 2022, and its humanitarian situation worsened in mid-2026. Residents faced severe shortages of food, drinking water, electricity and medical supplies after suffering weeks of shortages of food and medicine, with Russian forces effectively blocking deliveries by humanitarian organizations. Under international humanitarian law, Russia is obligated to protect civilians in territory under its occupation.5,7
The number of people who left during the ceasefire has not been publicly confirmed. The first lady called the operation a "success" and said "nearly 800 people" had been evacuated, but neither Ukraine nor Russia publicly confirmed exactly how many people left or where they relocated. The Kremlin has publicly ruled out further such humanitarian operations in the foreseeable future.7
The White House meeting also precedes a meeting in Abu Dhabi next week described as the first talks involving all three sides since February. Zelensky said he had held "very detailed, hour-and-a-half-long" conversations with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner ahead of that meeting. The first lady has also been involved in efforts to return Ukrainian children taken to Russia.5
