Melania Trump urges lasting Ukraine truce after hosting Russian and Ukrainian officials

US First Lady Melania Trump hosted Russian and Ukrainian officials at the White House, calling for a more enduring ceasefire in Ukraine following last week's truce in the Kherson region that allowed hundreds of residents to evacuate Oleshky. Both Moscow and Kyiv credited Trump with brokering the six-day ceasefire, though her specific role was not detailed. Delegations included Ukrainian and Russian human rights ombudsmen and negotiators, who thanked her for humanitarian efforts, including reuniting children separated by the war. The truce was described as the biggest de-escalation since 2022, but sources suggested Russia's Vladimir Putin ultimately enabled it, possibly to benefit Donald Trump's midterm elections. Trump gave letters to both delegations and showed historic peace artifacts.