Melania Trump calls for lasting Ukraine truce as she hosts Russian and Ukrainian officials

The US first lady said she had "reviewed demining plans, aerial images, assessed roadways, and discussed evacuation routes, hospital access, vehicles, and medical resources" during the truce.

"Last week in Oleshky and neighbouring areas of Kherson, people experienced the simple joys of life for the first time since 2022," Trump said. "They walked down familiar streets without fear of explosions."

She thanked both Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, making no reference to the origins of the war, which began when the Russian president launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and which has caused thousands of civilian casualties and the displacement of millions.