Melania Trump issues statement after starving residents of Oleshky arrive in Belarus - The News International
US First Lady Melania Trump on Saturday issued a statement after four planes carrying residents evacuated from the Russian-controlled Ukrainian town of Oleshky landed in Belarus on Saturday.
The local ceasefire in Oleshky was reached thanks to mediation efforts by US first lady Melania Trump and with the pope's involvement.Β
In a statement posted on her social media account, Melania Trump said,Β "Oleshky proves we can raise humanity above war. Together we can build a peaceful planet, a world f promise for our children."
Hundreds of starving and exhausted βresidents left the town of Oleshky on Friday during a US-backed local ceasefire, the first of its kind and the longest humanitarian pause in the war, which is nearing its fifth year.
"The βlast, fourth plane landed in Gomel," said David Arakhamia, a top Ukrainian βpeace negotiator and close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
"In a few β hours, all Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Oleshky together with a Ukrainian delegation will be βon Ukrainian territory."
A convoy of buses carrying the residents had βdeparted from the airport in Gomel, in southeastern Belarus near the border with Ukraine.
The evacuees leaving for Ukraine had to take a complicated route to leave Oleshky as the frontline runs just βa few kilometres away.
They first travelled by bus via Crimea to the Russian town βof Anapa before flying to Belarus from where they will continue to Ukraine via a border βcrossing. β
