Vladimir Putin says Oleshky-area fighting pause has "the support, incidentally, of the First Lady"

Russia and Ukraine both credited U.S. first lady Melania Trump with helping arrange a pause in fighting around Oleshky, a Russian-held Ukrainian town facing severe shortages. The arrangement is meant to let food and medicine enter and allow hundreds of civilians to leave. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova planned to bring journalists from the U.S. outlet Newsmax to the area, while Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets also traveled there. At a Moscow summit, President Vladimir Putin said aid would start reaching residents Thursday and Friday and acknowledged the U.S. first lady’s role. Kyiv’s commissioner separately thanked her for focusing on the humanitarian effort. The episode unfolded as both sides seek to show U.S. President Donald Trump they support his peace efforts.