Melania Trump is to host Russian and Ukrainian representatives at the White House, days after the Oleshky ceasefire expired
Donald Trump and Melania Trump, whose office described her as "exclusive intermediary" between Moscow and Kyiv, with Melania set to host Russian and Ukrainian representatives at the White House on Thursday.
Melania Trump will convene the White House meeting on Thursday at 11am ET, her office describing it as "an unprecedented diplomatic initiative by an American First Lady" after she acted as "exclusive intermediary" between Moscow and Kyiv. The six-day Oleshky ceasefire she brokered allowed nearly 800 civilians — some of whom had been forced to eat grass without medicine or clean water — to evacuate before it expired on Sunday.
Russia confirmed Tuesday that Abu Dhabi peace talks will follow on November 10-11, with Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky as Moscow's chief negotiator.
Ukraine's military accused Russia of using the Oleshky ceasefire to reinforce positions and replenish ammunition — casting a shadow over Thursday's White House event.
Russia also signalled it hopes to finalise a trilateral Trump-Putin-Xi summit, alarming Kyiv, whose president Zelenskyy has insisted: 'Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.'
