Melania Trump secures localized Russia-Ukraine ceasefire in Oleshky, White House says

As of 12:39 p.m. ET, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Update (Oct. 23, 2026, 12:39 p.m. ET): This story has been updated with a Russian Defense Ministry Telegram post, translated from Russian, in which Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, said Russian forces will cease fire "on the Kherson direction" from 4 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 27 (9 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 26), in connection with the humanitarian operation in the area of Oleshky.

First lady Melania Trump secured a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine limited to the city of Oleshky, the White House said in a statement posted at 9:16 a.m. ET Friday. "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," the statement said.

The localized ceasefire will begin on Oct. 29, 2026, according to the White House.

Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, said in a post on the Russian Defense Ministry's Telegram channel at 12:00 p.m. ET Friday, translated from Russian, that, in connection with the humanitarian operation in the area of Oleshky in the Kherson region, Russian armed forces will cease fire "on the Kherson direction" and introduce a "regime of silence" from 4 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 27, which is 9 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 26.

"To ensure the safety of people and the delivery of socially important cargo, engineering reconnaissance will be organized and the safe movement of a humanitarian convoy into the settlement of Oleshky in the Kherson region will be ensured," Gerasimov said in the post, translated from Russian.

How the White House says it was arranged

"First Lady Melania Trump and her representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to define the terms of the localized ceasefire," the statement said. "The First Lady initiated discussions with both nations and aligned the parties on the agreement's objectives, technical procedures, timing, processes, and terms, in her formal role as Exclusive Intermediary."

The White House said the situation in Oleshky came to her attention during a private discussion at her Fostering the Future Together event in New York City during the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

"My representative and I immediately leveraged the communication channel we established with Russia and Ukraine through the previous six reunifications of 34 children," Melania Trump said in the statement. "Both nations promptly assigned teams to coordinate the complex mechanics involved, including demining. All parties have worked around the clock since that moment."

What the first lady said

"The situation in Oleshky is dire," Melania Trump said in the statement. "Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky's remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water."

"The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks," she said. "It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible."

Plans for residents

"Non-military, civilian leaders from both countries will work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require," Melania Trump said. "Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine."

"I have also secured an impartial American media organization to accompany and document Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process," she said. "This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected."

About Oleshky

Oleshky is in southern Ukraine, directly across the Dnipro River from Kherson, the White House said. Reuters described it as a Russian-controlled city and reported that residents of the town, occupied by Russian forces since February 2022, have reported a deepening food crisis.

Roughly 24,000 people lived in Oleshky before the war, and an estimated 1,700 to 2,000 residents remain, primarily older people who have been unable to leave, along with approximately 50 children, according to the White House. It said there has not been a formal demographic count in the city since 2022, and that approximately 90 percent of the city's territory was flooded after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam.

On Oct. 19, GROKsiNEWS.com reported that Pope Leo XIV raised the situation in Oleshky in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and referred to a request for a humanitarian ceasefire he had presented to Russia's president, according to the Holy See Press Office.

What is not known

The White House statement does not say how long the ceasefire will last, when the evacuation will begin or where the designated safe passageway will run. It does not name the first lady's representative or the American media organization she said would accompany the teams. The Russian Defense Ministry post does not say when the "regime of silence" will end.