White House: First Lady reaches temporary ceasefire agreement in a city in southern Ukraine

Washington, Oct 23 (KUNA) – The White House announced on Friday that First Lady Melania Trump successfully brokered a temporary ceasefire agreement in the city of Oleshky, located in southern Ukraine, effective October 29, to allow the entry of humanitarian aid and facilitate the evacuation of civilians through a safe corridor. According to a statement released by her office at the White House, Mrs. Trump stated, “The situation in Oleshky is dire; it is a city on the front line facing an imminent catastrophe.” She noted that “the remaining residents are mostly elderly people who are in urgent need of medical care, medicine, food, and clean water,” adding that “Oleshky residents suffer from a severe shortage of electricity, live among mined roads, and are subjected to repeated military attacks.” She said, “It was entirely clear that without my intervention, it would have been impossible to deliver humanitarian aid to the city or evacuate the elderly.” She revealed that “civilian leaders from both sides will work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and assess the level of assistance they require.” She pointed out that “residents wishing to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their chosen destination,” expressing her belief that “some wish to go to Russia, while others may prefer to go to Ukraine.” She added that she also secured the participation of a neutral American media organization to accompany Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground and document the entire process, which would “play a crucial role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are respected accurately and faithfully.” The statement noted that the First Lady “worked directly through a special representative with both Russian and Ukrainian leadership to define the terms of the limited ceasefire,” adding that “in her capacity as an exclusive mediator, she initiated discussions with both parties and coordinated with them regarding the agreement’s objectives, technical procedures, timing, implementation mechanisms, and agreed-upon conditions.” The statement further reported that Oleshky, located in the Kherson region on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, “has remained on the front line since the start of military operations between Russia and Ukraine, leading to the displacement or evacuation of most of its residents. Following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, approximately 90 percent of the city’s area was flooded.” Kherson is one of four provinces in eastern and southern Ukraine, along with Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia, which Russian President Vladimir Putin formally annexed into Russian territory in December 2022 following referendums that Ukraine then deemed illegal. (End) R.S.R. / R.J.