One day after receiving Ukraine’s highest honor for women from President Volodymyr Zelensky, US First Lady Melania Trump will welcome delegations from Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday.
Melania Trump’s “significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine” earned her the Order of Princess Olha, 1st Class, according the presidential order.
The evacuation of several hundred individuals from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky was made possible by the termination of the truce in the southern region of Ukraine, Kherson.
Quick Fact
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What Happened | Melania Trump hosted Russian and Ukrainian officials after the Oleshky ceasefire. |
| Location | White House, Washington, D.C. |
| Date | November 5, 2026 |
| US Representative | Melania Trump |
| Russian Representatives | Yana Lantratova and Kirill Dmitriev |
| Ukrainian Representatives | Dmytro Lubinets and Davyd Arakhamia |
| Ceasefire Location | Oleshky, Ukraine |
| Next Talks | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| Main Purpose | Humanitarian cooperation, civilian evacuation and diplomatic discussions. |
Senior officials and ombudsmen who participated in the evacuation mission comprise the delegations from Moscow and Kyiv.
Melania Trump “independently initiated engagement between the two warring nations and successfully secured a ceasefire,” according to the White House.
Melania Trump was publicly hailed by both the Russian and Ukrainian sides for mediating the truce, although neither side provided specifics about her role.
Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights ombudsman for Ukraine, and Yana Lantratova, his Russian counterpart, will be among the delegations visiting the White House on Thursday.
Russian and Ukrainian Officials Hold Talks
In an uncommon demonstration of collaboration between Russian and Ukrainian authorities, Lubinets and Lantratova traveled into Oleshky together last week.
Zelensky’s party in parliament is led by Ukrainian MP Arakhamia, who was formerly a member of the Ukrainian peace negotiation team with Russia.
According to diplomatic sources cited by Ukrainian media, he was in charge of informal communication between the White House and Moscow throughout the truce and has indicated he would participate in the negotiations on Thursday.
Kirill Dmitriev and Lantratova will comprise the Russian delegation, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Melania Trump Recognized for Humanitarian Efforts
Dmitriev and Arakhamia are seasoned participants in high-level peace talks, and it is uncommon for a US First Lady to spearhead an endeavor to bring together such senior individuals.
According to the White House website, Melania Trump will also speak on the truce in Oleshky on Thursday at 11:00 (16:00 GMT).
Ukraine Reports Thousands of Deported Children
The expulsion and forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia was declared a war crime and a crime against humanity by the UN earlier this year.
Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine claims that around 20,000 children have been unlawfully transported to Belarus and Russia.
Next week, delegates from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States will convene in Abu Dhabi for the first trilateral conference since February. US ambassador Steve Witkoff stated on Monday that postwar security arrangements and de-escalation will be the main topics of discussion.
