First lady Melania Trump and peace envoys from both Russia and Ukraine spoke from the White House on Thursday, hailing the ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Oleshky region as a potential "spark" for peace that lasts beyond a temporary regional ceasefire.
"We have chosen humanity over war," the first lady said in a White House trilateral news conference with the two warring countries. "Undeniably, the lives of innocent people must transcend the division of war. I hope Oleshky inspires greater peace. Every significant transformation begins with a small spark."
"Together, we can create something more enduring than a temporary ceasefire," she added, calling Oleshky "a spark in a world of darkness capable of illuminating the best in humanity."
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Trump said she became aware of a humanitarian crisis in the region in September and directed her representative, Marc Beckman, to engage with Russia and Ukraine on her behalf. She said both countries agreed to work with her as an "exclusive intermediary" to establish a ceasefire in Oleshky and the surrounding Kherson region, deliver humanitarian aid and create a safe evacuation route for civilians.
Her remarks were followed by comments from Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who said Russian President Vladimir Putin appreciated President Donald Trump’s efforts to stop the fighting.
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"President Putin also appreciates President Trump's peacemaking effort and his team working on a peace plan to resolve Ukrainian crisis," Dmitriev said in a rare moment of a Russian diplomat speaking at the White House. "President Trump has asked President Putin to support a number of initiatives on exchanging of prisoners, on releasing U.S. prisoners on humanitarian efforts. And President Putin supported those ideas and those initiatives."
"And it's very important that cooperation between Russia and Ukraine and Russia in the United States matters not only for our two nations, but for the entire world," he continued. "Let us continue making great humanitarian contributions. We can together, let us build a future of peace, partnership and prosperity for the benefit of our families, our children and future generations."
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"Dear Melania, you saved and touched so many lives," he concluded.
David Arakhamia, the leader of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's political party, called Melania Trump's ceasefire the 'biggest de-escalation since 2022," when the war began.
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"Madam first lady, I would like to thank you: You did an amazing job," he said. "I think when everything started with you and your team, we had about 5% of people who believed in success, and 95% of skeptics who said it wasn’t going to work. Now, after it happened, it’s switched completely: 95% of the people believe that we can do things like that, and 5% are still skeptical."
Peace is now a matter of when, not if, he added.
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Getting fearful Ukrainians out of the Russian-controlled city is an important step toward deciding how peace will be made and determining the long-term fate of the occupied territory of southern Ukraine.
"On the first day, people in the area did not believe it was happening," Arakhamia said. "They stayed in their homes, waiting to see if the clock was ticking backward. The next day, they started walking around their homes. The day after that, they came to see their broken homes and find their belongings.
"This is really emotional to watch and supervise, to understand what we are doing," he added. "I think we are creating momentum where both sides are learning the little mechanics of how to keep the peace when the peace comes.
"I would also like to sincerely thank you, from my heart, for doing this."
Dmitriev attended the event and met with U.S. officials, sources told Reuters. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, also attended the event.