Nearly 800 civilians evacuated during ceasefire as Zelensky awards Melania Trump Ukraine’s Order of Princess Olga
A state honour for humanitarian work
A presidential decree dated November 2 recognized Melania Trump’s contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine and her efforts to help Ukrainian children. The children included those deported or forcibly moved from Russian-occupied territory.
The Order of Princess Olga, 1st class, is awarded to women for exceptional contributions in fields such as science, education, culture and charitable work. Zelensky had previously expressed gratitude to Trump for her part in stopping fighting around Oleshky.
Ceasefire enabled civilian evacuation
Ukrainian officials said Trump played a pivotal role in organizing a six-day pause in fighting to evacuate civilians from Oleshky, in the southern Kherson region. The ceasefire began on Tuesday and ended on Sunday.
Trump said nearly 800 people were evacuated. The White House said she brokered the humanitarian mission, while previous attempts to pause fighting had failed to hold or quickly unravelled.
Calls for aid and safe passage
Pope Leo XIV spoke this month with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging them to allow humanitarian aid into Oleshky and enable civilians to leave safely, the Vatican said. Russian ombudsperson Yana Lantratova said Trump’s personal involvement mattered to the process.
Both sides are seeking U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval as he presses for a peace settlement. The pause in Oleshky was described as the longest local halt in fighting since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Key points
- Zelensky awarded Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class.
- The decree cited her humanitarian support and work to help Ukrainian children.
- Nearly 800 people were evacuated from Oleshky during a six-day ceasefire, Trump said.
- Pope Leo XIV urged safe evacuation and humanitarian access to Oleshky.