Zelensky Awards US First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has conferred a state award, the Order of Princess Olga, First Class, on US First Lady Melania Trump. According to the Reuters news agency, it was granted for her role in facilitating the evacuation of civilians from Oleshky, a city in the Russian-occupied south of Ukraine close to the front line. The decision shows Kyiv recognising the American first lady's involvement in helping people affected by the war.

The presidential decree, dated 2 November, says the award recognises her significant contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine and her assistance to Ukrainian children, including those deported or forcibly taken from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. The order is given to women who have shown outstanding achievement in science, education, culture and charity.

Six-day truce

Ukrainian officials said Melania Trump played an important part in organising a ceasefire during which civilians were evacuated from Oleshky. The evacuation ended on 1 November. The truce lasted six days and was the longest observed since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. Melania Trump herself said almost 800 residents had been evacuated.

The BBC, citing the White House, reports that the first lady independently initiated contact between the two countries at war and secured compliance with the truce. The White House described the achievement as an unprecedented diplomatic initiative by a US first lady.

Both Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly thanked Melania Trump for arranging the truce. However, neither side provided further details about what exactly she did.