Oleshky Ceasefire: Trump Deal Halts Fighting on Oct. 27

The White House announced Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a local ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky. All military operations in the area will cease on October 27. The pause is designed to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians.

Melania Trump brokered the deal. Her representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to finalize the terms. Trump stated that residents wishing to leave would receive coordinated support and transportation. She noted that some evacuees would likely travel to Russia while others would go to Ukraine.

Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. An estimated 2,000 people remain in the city. Residents report severe shortages of food, water, and electricity. Some survivors are reportedly eating weeds, boiled grass, and meager rations. Ukrainian officials have pushed for a civilian evacuation for weeks. They have used drones to airdrop emergency food and medical supplies into the town.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman, confirmed the agreement on Friday. He said the mission would include demining roads into the town and delivering food. Lubinets stated that a sufficient quantity of aid would be delivered to meet the needs of everyone requiring it. He added that officials want the effort to go beyond a one-off event and extend beyond Oleshky alone.

The truce follows months of diplomatic efforts. Ukrainian officials previously claimed that Russia rejected calls for a humanitarian pause. Pope Leo XIV, the United Nations, and EU officials all urged a ceasefire. Lubinets told Reuters on Friday that he believed an agreement was near as recently as October 18, though he did not mention the first lady's role at the time.

Ukrainian forces continue to report disruptions to the Starlink satellite network. This persists despite President Donald Trump’s claim that Elon Musk lifted restrictions on the service. The slowdown began last week after Trump and Musk publicly criticized Zelenskyy over strikes on Russian oil refineries. Ukrainian officials said speeds stayed capped at about 100 mph throughout Friday. Serhii Beskrestnov, a military expert advising Zelenskyy, said no lifting of the restrictions had been observed.

The speed cap prevents Ukrainian military equipment, including drones, from staying connected at high speeds. This hampers offensive drone operations and efforts to intercept incoming Russian attacks. Trump told reporters on Friday that he had heard the issue was fixed but would speak to Musk if it was not. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stressed to Trump in a phone call that Ukraine needs full access to the network.

Tensions between Ukraine and the US have deepened due to the Starlink issues and Washington’s temporary suspension of intelligence sharing. Russia launched another overnight barrage on Ukraine on Friday. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said trilateral talks are expected to resume in Abu Dhabi in November. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated that three tankers were heading to the US. He added that Russian companies could supply 500,000 metric tonnes of diesel in October.