Melania Trump calls for ‘enduring’ Russia-Ukraine peace as she hosts top officials at the White House

NBC News · Yuliya Talmazan, Monica Alba · 2026-11-05 12:38 UTC

Ukraine has been reeling from the worst collapse in relations with Washington since the start of the war.

First lady Melania Trump expressed hope that a humanitarian ceasefire around a city in Ukraine would inspire progress toward a “more enduring” peace, as she hosted representatives from Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday.

The unprecedented meeting came as the Trump administration pushes for progress in broader peace negotiations, with the United States set to lead renewed trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates next week.

Speaking at the White House, the first lady expressed hope that the six-day ceasefire around Oleshky would inspire a peace “more enduring than a temporary ceasefire,” before praising the “highly cooperative” Russian and Ukrainian leaders for helping bring about the pause.

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