US First Lady Melania Trump announced that she has written personal letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling for a move toward lasting peace. She stated this at a White House event dedicated to the ceasefire in Oleshky and asked meeting participants to deliver the messages to the recipients. According to her, the ceasefire in this locality was made possible by the efforts of both presidents and creates an important precedent for further dialogue.
Personal Messages to Leaders
“As this historic moment concludes, I have written personal letters to President Putin and President Zelensky. David and Kirill, please deliver these letters to your presidents on my behalf,” Melania Trump said, addressing the heads of delegations. She expressed hope that the meeting participants would ensure the safe delivery of the correspondence and facilitate further dialogue between the parties. Thus, the US First Lady acted as a mediator, transmitting personal appeals directly through the representatives of the two countries.
Delegations at the White House
The meeting took place at the White House on Thursday, November 5. Present from the Ukrainian side were MP and head of the "Servant of the People" faction David Arakhamia, as well as Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets. The Russian delegation was represented by Kirill Dmitriev and ombudsperson Yana Lantratova. It was Arakhamia and Dmitriev who, at Melania Trump’s request, were to deliver the letters to their presidents.
Oleshky Ceasefire as a Precedent
Commenting on the results of the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, Melania Trump emphasized that the ceasefire would not have been possible without President Putin and President Zelensky. She called the cooperation of the parties for the sake of a local truce a precedent for establishing a larger-scale peace in the region and expressed hope that this operation would become a prologue to a wider peace: “Any meaningful transformation begins with a small spark.”
Awards and Prospects for Dialogue
It should be recalled that earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for new local ceasefires with the assistance of Melania Trump amid humanitarian efforts in the region. For her significant contribution to these efforts, Zelensky awarded Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st Class. The award ceremony took place during the same meeting at the White House, where Ukrainian ombudsperson Dmytro Lubinets presented the order to the US First Lady.
