First Lady Melania Trump secures a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for Oleshky, with aid entry and evacuations to begin October 29

The White House announced on Friday that First Lady Melania Trump has secured a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine limited to the city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine. Both countries agreed to stop all military action in the city so that humanitarian aid can enter and civilians can be prepared for evacuation through a designated safe passageway. The ceasefire begins on October 29, 2026.

Picture is an illustration of aid workers reaching residents of a flooded front line city in southern Ukraine.

"The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky's remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water," the First Lady said. "The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks. It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible." The statement gives her the formal role of Exclusive Intermediary and says she and her representative worked directly with the leadership of both countries to set the objectives, procedures, timing and terms.

Under the terms, civilian leaders from both countries will visit residents in their homes together and decide what help each household needs. Residents who want to leave will get coordinated transport to the destination they choose, Russia or Ukraine. An impartial American media organization will travel with the Russian and Ukrainian teams and document the work, which she said will help ensure the wishes of each family are respected. Demining is part of the coordination, because the roads around the city are contaminated with explosives.

The First Lady said the plight of the city reached her during a private discussion at her Fostering the Future Together event in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly. The channel she used was built through earlier work between her office and both countries, six reunifications that returned 34 children separated by the war. Both nations assigned teams to the Oleshky plan, and the statement says all parties have worked around the clock since that moment.

Oleshky sits across the Dnipro River from Kherson. Roughly 24,000 people lived there before the war. The White House estimates 1,700 to 2,000 remain, most of them older people who were unable to leave, along with about 50 children. No formal count has been taken since 2022. After the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed, about 90 percent of the city was flooded, and the city has stayed on the front line through the war.

Reuters reported that Ukraine had not officially confirmed the ceasefire when the announcement was made. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights commissioner, said negotiations with Russia were still underway and nearing completion, as of October 23.