US First Lady Melania Trump has publicly commented on the completion of the evacuation of residents from the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region, expressing hope that this humanitarian mission will become a "starting point for a lasting peace" between Ukraine and Russia. According to RBC-Ukraine, she wrote about this on her X (formerly Twitter) social media account.
"May Oleshky become a starting point"
In her post, Melania Trump noted that the ceasefire in Oleshky and adjacent areas of the Kherson region allowed local residents to move freely, access food, clean water, and medicine, and also "regain their sense of dignity without facing the constant threat of shelling." "A revived spirit. May Oleshky become a starting point along the way," the US president's spouse wrote, adding: "Hope for a sustainable peace. Oleshky proves that we can put humanity above war."
Timeline of the mission and ceasefire
As the publication reminds, on October 27 near temporarily occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region, Ukraine and Russia agreed on a ceasefire to carry out a humanitarian mission. The silence regime is in effect until 10:59 PM on November 1. According to Melania Trump, she facilitated the evacuation process throughout its duration; on October 31, she publicly reacted to its completion for the first time. On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the evacuated residents of Oleshky had crossed the state border of Ukraine in the Chernihiv region.
Assessments from Kyiv and Moscow
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported that the first 30 hours of the truce in Oleshky passed without any violations. Later, information emerged about an agreement between Kyiv and Moscow to provide monthly assistance to residents of the Kherson region after the completion of the humanitarian mission. In turn, Russia stated on October 31 that it had agreed with Ukraine on holding regular humanitarian missions.
Significance for the peace process
The US First Lady's statement came amid ongoing attempts by the parties to reduce the intensity of hostilities in certain areas of the Kherson region. The wording about a "starting point" emphasizes Washington's position that local humanitarian regimes can become an element of a broader peace settlement. At the same time, the ceasefire in Oleshky is limited in time and applies to a specific territory, indicating the phased nature of the agreements reached.
