Zelenskiy awards Melania Trump state honour for Ukraine humanitarian work

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has awarded US first lady Melania Trump a state honour for her role in organising a humanitarian evacuation from a frontline town, according to a decree published on Wednesday. The presidential decree, dated November 2, cited her "significant personal contribution" to humanitarian support for Ukraine and her work to help Ukrainian children, including those deported or forcibly moved from Russian-occupied territory. The award is the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class. Ukrainian officials said Melania Trump played a pivotal role in organising the six-day ceasefire to evacuate civilians from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, which concluded on Sunday. Nearly 800 people were evacuated, and it was the longest local pause in fighting since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.