Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded US first lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, First Class, after she helped broker a ceasefire that allowed civilians to leave the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky. Trump said nearly 800 people were evacuated during the six-day truce, the longest local pause in fighting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
A route out of a frontline town
Oleshky lies across the Dnipro River from the Ukrainian-held city of Kherson. Residents had endured weeks of shortages of food and medicine, and many of those still in the town were older people who had been unable to leave. The truce, which expired on Sunday, allowed crews to clear mines from roads and bring in food, clean water and medical supplies.
Buses and ambulances carried evacuees out of the town, with separate convoys for those travelling to Russia and those heading to Ukrainian-held territory. Some of the latter took a route through Russian-occupied Crimea, southern Russia and Belarus before reaching Ukraine. It remained unclear how many residents stayed in Oleshky.
Recognition for wider humanitarian work
The presidential decree, dated 2 November and made public on Wednesday, cited Trump’s significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine. It also recognised her work on behalf of Ukrainian children, including those deported or forcibly displaced from Russian-occupied territory.
The White House said Trump and her representative used contacts established during earlier efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families. Those contacts helped the two sides agree on the terms of the pause, including arrangements for aid deliveries and a route for civilians to leave.
Further talks after a local pause
Fighting continued elsewhere in Ukraine during the Oleshky truce. Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said he and his Russian counterpart were exploring further humanitarian operations. Separately, US envoy Steve Witkoff said Ukrainian and Russian delegations would meet in Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November to discuss de-escalation, security arrangements and efforts to end the war.
Newshub Editorial in Europe – 5 November 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded US first lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, First Class, after she helped broker a ceasefire that allowed civilians to leave the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky. Trump said nearly 800 people were evacuated during the six-day truce, the longest local pause in fighting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
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