US
Melania Trump brokers Oleshky ceasefire: Russia and Ukraine to halt fighting from Oct. 29
The White House says the first lady has secured a deal for a local ceasefire in the occupied city in the Kherson region, to allow aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 23, 2026, 16:10 · Updated 18:44 · 2 min read
In brief
- According to the White House, Russia and Ukraine will suspend military operations in Oleshky starting Oct. 29.
- Between 1,700 and 2,000 residents remain in the city, including about 50 children, by the U.S. estimate.
- The statement does not say how long the ceasefire will last or how the corridor's safety will be guaranteed.
U.S. first lady Melania Trump has secured an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to temporarily halt fighting in Oleshky, a city occupied by Russian forces in the Kherson region, the White House announced on Friday. According to the statement, the local ceasefire begins on Oct. 29 and is meant to open the way for humanitarian aid and the departure of civilians.
The two sides will suspend military operations and set up safe passage for residents who want to leave. Civilian representatives from both countries will visit homes to assess needs, while those who leave will be offered transport to a destination of their choice.
A city cut off among minefields
Oleshky lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro, opposite Ukrainian-controlled Kherson. Before the invasion it had about 24,000 residents; the White House estimates that 1,700 to 2,000 people remain, including about 50 children. Melania Trump described Oleshky as a “front-line war city on the brink of disaster,” with a mostly elderly population in need of medical care and basic supplies.
According to the White House, the initiative began in a private conversation at her “Fostering the Future Together” event in New York, held during the 81st U.N. General Assembly. Both countries then assigned teams to coordinate the arrangements, including demining. She said an impartial American media organization would accompany and document the operation, without naming it.
Open questions
The statement does not specify how long the ceasefire will last or what security guarantees are in place. Euronews, which could not independently verify conditions in the city, notes that it remains unclear how the deal will be monitored and whether residents will be able to leave freely. Tetiana Hasanenko, head of the city's military administration, has called the 25-kilometer escape route through mined territory “the road of death.”
