Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked U. S. First Lady Melania Trump for her mediation in arranging a ceasefire in the temporarily occupied city of Oleshky and said Ukraine would support the continuation of the initiative.
The head of state made the remarks in an interview with American journalist Tony Perkins, Ukrinform reports.
"First of all, we are thankful to First Lady Melania Trump for this mediation and for this help," Zelensky said.
He recalled that a Ukrainian team, together with American partners, had visited temporarily occupied Oleshky to deliver medical equipment and humanitarian aid. They had also been able to evacuate people from the city to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
"We will support them in everything. They will get all they need," Zelensky said.
Read also: Budanov: Humanitarian mission in Oleshky ends successfully, all sides acted professionally
Asked whether the initiative could mark the beginning of a broader ceasefire, Zelensky noted that Ukraine had supported the proposal put forward by the United States and U. S. President Donald Trump for an unconditional ceasefire from the very beginning. According to him, this was back in early 2025, and Kyiv had reaffirmed its position on numerous occasions since then.
"But Russia has never accepted any ceasefire – an energy ceasefire or ceasefire on the sea or in different territories," Zelensky said.
He stressed that Melania Trump's initiative was "the first such case" in which Russia had agreed to a ceasefire.
"I hope it [the initiative] can continue. If it continues and such signals come from America again, it will be absolutely great, and we will support it," Zelensky said.
As reported, the Ukrainian delegation that carried out a humanitarian mission to temporarily occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region has returned to territory controlled by Ukraine.
Headline photo: Volodymyr Zelensky / Facebook