Oleshky truce to start Oct. 29 after Trump-Putin talks

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to pause fighting in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, with the truce set to begin on October 29. The White House announced the deal on Friday, attributing the arrangement to direct efforts by First Lady Melania Trump. The localized ceasefire aims to halt military action so that humanitarian teams can deliver food, medicine, and clean water to a shrinking civilian population.

According to the White House, the remaining residents of Oleshky number between 1,700 and 2,000 people, including approximately 50 children. Before the war, the city across the Dnipro River from Kherson had a population of roughly 24,000. The statement noted that about 90 percent of the city remains flooded following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam. Melania Trump described the situation as dire, stating that the remaining population is largely elderly and in urgent need of medical attention.

Ukraine’s chief negotiator, David Arakhamia, confirmed on Telegram that the humanitarian operation will commence once the ceasefire takes hold. He indicated that the accord resulted from a prolonged process involving both the U.S. First Lady and Pope Leo. The deal establishes a designated safe passage for civilian evacuation and aid delivery. Non-military teams from both nations will visit residents to assist with transport to either Russian or Ukrainian territory.

The Kremlin stated that the evacuation process will require several days. It praised Melania Trump’s role after President Vladimir Putin indicated readiness to cooperate with Pope Leo on the issue. The two leaders reportedly spoke by telephone last week. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov specified that Russian forces will cease firing at 4 a.m. local time on October 27 to facilitate the operation.

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that technical-level talks among Ukraine, Russia, and the United States will be held in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. Zelenskyy told the Hudson Institute that he had discussed the matter with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff following their meeting with Putin earlier in the week. He emphasized that any final peace agreement would require strong security guarantees and ten years of funding for the Ukrainian army.

Recent weeks have seen increased criticism from European allies and U.S. congressional members regarding American involvement in the conflict. President Donald Trump previously agreed to a deal with Putin for diesel imports and announced a ceasefire on energy strikes, though Russian attacks continued. On October 14, Zelenskyy reported that SpaceX had restricted Starlink service, a move Ukrainian officials say hampers drone defense capabilities.

Fighting persisted on Friday despite the upcoming truce. Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport briefly suspended operations due to a Ukrainian drone threat. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that air defenses downed 21 drones over the capital within two hours. The two sides also completed a prisoner exchange, releasing 270 detainees each. Anton Kovalskyi, Ukraine’s acting prosecutor general, said more than 19,000 Ukrainian civilians, including 762 children, have been killed since the full-scale invasion began.