US first lady Melania Trump brought Russian and Ukrainian representatives together at the White House on Thursday, calling on both sides to choose "humanity over war" ahead of talks next week in Abu Dhabi, Independent reports.
Kirill Dmitriev, a special envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, attended the rare face-to-face gathering with Ukrainian officials. The event marked a six-day ceasefire that Melania Trump helped negotiate in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky, which expired on Sunday.
It came as the Trump administration is stepping up efforts to bring an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, which started when Russian troops invaded in early 2022. A trilateral meeting involving officials from the US, Ukraine, and Russia is set for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
"We have chosen humanity over war," the first lady stated at the event. "We must use the courage we brought to Oleshky to find common ground through a shared concern for the suffering of innocent people," she added.
Melania Trump said she was "involved in every stage of the planning" for the short-term ceasefire, which included reviewing aerial photos and evaluating road and hospital access.
President Trump, who did not attend, praised his wife’s role in the Oleshky ceasefire, remarking to reporters in October that "she does better than our professionals."
