IQN (NewsDesk): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded US First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class, Ukraine’s top honor for women, in recognition of her role organizing a humanitarian evacuation from the front-line town of Oleshky.
The ceasefire, which ran for six days and concluded over the weekend, allowed roughly 800 civilians to be evacuated from the Russian-occupied Kherson region city — the longest local pause in fighting since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Melania Trump initiated the effort after learning of conditions in Oleshky, where residents have faced months without reliable food, medicine, electricity or running water, and she worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian officials to set its terms.
Both Kyiv and Moscow confirmed the ceasefire held without violations. Russian and Ukrainian delegations are expected to meet the first lady at the White House on Thursday, as part of broader renewed diplomatic efforts that have also involved US envoy Steve Witkoff shuttling between Kyiv, Oslo and St Petersburg.
