Melania Trump, the wife of US President Donald Trump, met on Thursday with representatives of Russia and Ukraine at an event at the White House to recognize a recent six-day ceasefire, in which she participated, in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky.
The event followed intensified efforts by U.S. officials to reach an agreement to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began when Russian forces invaded Ukraine in early 2022. A tripartite meeting with representatives from the United States, Ukraine and Russia is planned for Nov. 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
“Humanity above war”
“We have chosen humanity over war,” said the first lady during the event. “We must use the courage we showed in Oleshky to find common ground, driven by a shared concern for the suffering of innocent people,” he added.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, attended the event and met with U.S. officials, according to two people familiar with his plans. Also present were Ukrainian legislator David Arakhamia and Ukrainian human rights defender Dmytro Lubinets.
First contact between Russian and US officials since the midterms
The meeting marked the first face-to-face contact between Russian and U.S. officials since Tuesday’s midterm elections, in which Democrats wrested control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives from Republicans, a setback for President Trump.
The Democratic majority in Congress, which takes office in January, is expected to push for more aid for Ukraine and question several decisions made by the Republican Trump administration, such as a diesel deal with Russia and the easing of some sanctions.
In recent weeks, Trump has intensified his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Kremlin pleads for Trump to continue peace efforts
For its part, the Kremlin has expressed hope that Trump will continue his peace efforts despite the Republican Party’s defeat. The Kremlin added that preparations were underway for a meeting between Putin, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which will take place on November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China.
Previously, in 2025, Dmitriev met with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, did not invite any Russian officials to the White House.
Dmitriev has participated in efforts to facilitate the release of American detainees in Russia, the reunification of Ukrainian children with their families, and the humanitarian operation in Oleshky.
