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Donald Trump claimed that his wife Melania negotiated a decisive ceasefire in the occupied town of Oleshky – but his critics were not so convinced by his explanation.
This besieged city was first captured by Russian forces in 2022 and is still home to thousands of civilians.
Years of war have reduced the area to dust, leaving the remaining Ukrainians without electricity, running water and regular food.
It appears that Russia and Ukraine have now agreed to temporarily halt all military action in Oleshky from October 29, so that humanitarian aid can reach the remaining occupiers.
The White House maintains that there will also be a civilian evacuation through a designated safe passage.
Days after describing his wife as “the next Eleanor Roosevelt,” Trump told reporters on Friday that Ukraine and Russia were cooperating with the first lady.
He said Melania wants to “save children and that’s her focus,” and described the ceasefire as her initiative.
He also told reporters that his wife’s work is “great” and she has been “working very hard on it.”
He added: “She wants to see babies returned to their families and that is between Russia and Ukraine.
“They worked a truce from a very rough place, by the way, and babies are exchanged; she did a great job.”
The president also said that having his wife in the upcoming trilateral talks to discuss the future of Ukraine was “not the worst idea.”
Neither Ukraine nor Russia have yet confirmed the ceasefire.
However, not everyone was convinced by Trump’s statement about Oleshky.
It follows a very turbulent period in the relationship between Ukraine and the United States, after Trump announced a sanctions agreement to import Russian diesel earlier this month.
He also called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be excused from office and apologized for Vladimir Putin’s ongoing violations of Trump’s unilaterally declared energy ceasefire.
Kiev has accused the White House of restricting its access to the essential Starlink satellite networks, which the US has denied.
Trump is desperately trying to increase American votes ahead of the November 3rd midterm elections.
Voters are expected to punish the Republican Party for the rising cost of living, triggered by the president’s war in Iran.
Meanwhile, there is still an international arrest warrant for Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine – including the abduction of Ukrainian children.
As eagle-eyed social media users pointed out, another figure had also tried to persuade Putin to implement a ceasefire over parts of Ukraine recently.
Pope Leo XIV spoke to Putin last week and called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the town of Oleshky.
The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said it was “the Holy Father who took the initiative” to call Putin “to plead the case of this besieged city, where about 2,000 civilians need safe ways out and humanitarian corridors.”
Others questioned the point of all the diplomatic efforts by Trump’s top team, including his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jard Kushner.
The announcement also comes shortly after Witkoff surprised allies by calling wartime dictator Putin a “humanitarian.”
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