WASHINGTON — First lady Melania Trump called Thursday for a full peace deal between Ukraine and Russia as she hosted negotiators at the White House on Thursday, the first time such a meeting has taken place as the war nears the end of its fifth year.
Following up on the success of her temporary cease-fire in the city of Oleshky, President Trump’s wife called for “something more enduring than a temporary cease-fire.”
Melania Trump was joined by Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his Russian counterpart Yana Lantratova, both of whom oversaw the evacuation of Oleshky.
The limited cease-fire, which the first lady helped broker, allowed for 800 citizens to be evacuated from the war-torn city as well as the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.
Trump said the events in Oleshky can “build a powerful flame of peace,” adding: “What matters is not the modesty of this beginning, but the determination to turn it into something extraordinary.”
Also present for the closed-door meeting were Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who has represented the Kremlin tyrant at past US-brokered peace talks.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
