Melania Trump, wife of the U.S. president, on Thursday gathered representatives from Russia and Ukraine at an event at the White House to celebrate the six-day ceasefire she helped secure in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky.
The event comes as American officials intensify their efforts to reach an agreement to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. A trilateral meeting involving officials from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia is scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
The White House said Melania Trump will deliver remarks on the ceasefire in Oleshky at 11 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (1600 GMT).
The White House added: "This achievement represents an unprecedented diplomatic initiative by a U.S. First Lady."
Two individuals familiar with the plans said that Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend the event and meet with American officials.
The visit will mark the first direct contact between Russian and American officials since the midterm elections, in which Democrats took control of the Senate and House from Republicans, dealing a blow to President Trump.
The Kremlin said it hopes Trump will continue his efforts to bring about peace despite the Republican Party's defeat.
The Kremlin added that efforts are ongoing to prepare a meeting between Putin, Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled to take place on November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China.
Dmitriev met with Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, at the White House in 2025. President Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, did not invite any Russian officials to visit the White House during his presidency.
Dmitriev has been involved in facilitating the release of American detainees in Russia, reuniting Ukrainian children with their families, and the humanitarian operation in Oleshky.
