Russia and Ukraine will temporarily pause fighting to allow residents of Oleshky, a city in the occupied part of Ukraine’s Kherson region, to evacuate safely.
The White House said U.S. first lady Melania Trump helped broker the agreement.
The ceasefire will begin October 29.
“Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine,” Melania Trump said.
Russian forces occupied Oleshky at the start of the full-scale war in 2022. By the fall of 2026, conditions in the city had grown dire: residents had no food, electricity, adequate medical care, or any safe way to leave.
European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno declared a hunger strike to “draw international attention” to the situation in Oleshky. Pope Leo XIV spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and urged him to halt the fighting so humanitarian aid could reach residents and allow them to evacuate.
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