Melania Trump hands personal letters to Zelenskyy and Putin

US First Lady Melania Trump on 5 November delivered personal letters to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. She handed them over to Ukrainian and Russian representatives at a meeting linked to humanitarian support and the evacuation of civilians from war-affected areas. The contents of the letters have not been made public.

Trump said the truce in Oleshky, a town in Ukraine's Kherson Oblast, had become possible thanks to cooperation between both sides. She added that it could be an important step towards promoting peace in the region.

Meeting participants

Ukraine was represented by Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets and MP David Arakhamia. The Russian side included Yana Lantratova, Russia's Human Rights Commissioner, and Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special envoy.

Award

Lubinets presented Melania Trump with the Order of Princess Olha, First Class. Zelenskyy had earlier awarded her the honour for her significant contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine, the protection of Ukrainians' rights, and her help in rescuing children and civilians affected by Russian aggression. Her assistance in evacuating people from occupied Oleshky in Kherson Oblast was noted separately.

Dmitriev, for his part, gave the first lady a drawing made by a girl from Oleshky, who, according to the account given, had "decided to live in Russia with her family".