Melania Trump secures a ceasefire in Ukraine's Oleshky.
The truce will allow aid and civilian evacuations.
Zelenskyy says November peace talks depend on Russia.
First Lady of the United States Melania Trump has secured a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the city of Oleshky. The ceasefire will come into effect on October 29, the White House announced on Friday.
A statement released by the White House said, "Both nations agreed to temporarily stop all military action in Oleshky to allow for humanitarian aid to enter and to prepare a civilian evacuation through a designated safe passageway."
Ukraine's chief negotiator David Arakhamia said on Telegram that a ceasefire would soon begin in Oleshky, along with efforts to set up permanent humanitarian corridors for evacuations and food supplies, according to Reuters.
Russia has welcomed Melania Trump's efforts, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying she had made a “significant contribution” to the humanitarian operation in the Ukrainian town of Oleshky.
Peskov said the Russian military was coordinating the timing of the ceasefire. He added that evacuating residents from the town could take several days.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a trilateral meeting is now planned for the first half of November, but its timing will depend on Russia. Speaking at the Hudson Institute, he said the meeting would “depend on the Russians."
The meeting was initially expected to take place in October, but Zelenskyy said it did not happen because Russia found a reason to avoid the talks.
Key Details Of Ceasefire
Donald Trump told reporters that both Ukraine and Russia were working with his wife, Melania, on the issue. The White House said the First Lady had helped broker a ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky.
He said Melania's main goal was to save children, according to the US media reports.
The Ukrainian city of Oleshky, located across the Dnipro River from Kherson, now has between 1,700 and 2,000 residents, according to the White House. Most are elderly people, and around 50 children remain there. Before the war, the city had about 24,000 residents. The White House said flooding after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam submerged around 90% of Oleshky.
The ceasefire comes as US President Donald Trump pushes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reach a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Under the ceasefire, civilian teams from Russia and Ukraine will visit residents in their homes and organise transport for those seeking to leave for either country, Melania Trump said. A US media organisation, whose name has not been disclosed, will accompany the teams and document the operation.
