Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities in the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region. The agreement is due to come into force 29 October 2026 and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and the organisation of a safe evacuation of the civilian population. This was officially announced by the White House on 23 October. US First Lady Melania Trump acted as a mediator in the negotiations.
- The White House has announced that Ukraine and Russia have reached an agreement on a local ceasefire in Oleshky.
- The ceasefire is due to come into effect on 29 October 2026.
- The aim of the agreement is to deliver humanitarian aid and organise the safe evacuation of civilians.
- The First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, acted as a mediator.
- According to White House estimates, there are still 1,700–2,000 residents in Oleshky, including around 50 children.
When will the ceasefire in Oleshky come into effect?
According to an official White House statement dated 23 October, Ukraine and Russia have agreed to temporarily suspend all hostilities within the town of Oleshky itself.
The agreement provides for the creation of conditions to ensure safe access for humanitarian organisations and the establishment of an evacuation corridor for local residents.
The ceasefire is due to come into force on 29 October. The duration of its effect is not specified in the published statement.
The White House has also not specified when the evacuation of civilians will begin, nor how many people are due to be evacuated in the first phase.
Melania Trump acted as a mediator in the negotiations
According to the US administration, the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump and its representative liaised directly with the Ukrainian and Russian leadership to coordinate the humanitarian operation.
The parties discussed the terms for the cessation of hostilities, the procedures for providing aid, the organisation of evacuations and the issue of demining.
Melania Trump stated that civilian representatives from Ukraine and Russia should visit local residents, assess their needs and help those wishing to leave the city. According to her, the plan is to allow people to choose for themselves where they wish to be evacuated to.
The White House has also announced that an American media organisation will be brought in to document the humanitarian operation.
Around two thousand people remain in Oleshky
Oleshky is situated on the left bank of the Dnieper, opposite Kherson. The town has been under Russian occupation since February 2022.
Before the full-scale invasion, around 24,000 people lived here. According to White House estimates, there are now between 1,700 and 2,000 residents remaining in the city, including around 50 children.
The majority of the population consists of elderly people who were unable to leave.
A critical humanitarian situation has arisen in the city. Residents are suffering from a shortage of food, drinking water, medicines and electricity. The roads are mined, and ongoing fighting is hampering the delivery of aid.
The European Commission had previously called for humanitarian organisations to be granted unhindered access to the civilian population of Oleshky.
Ukraine had been pushing for the evacuation for several months
The Ukrainian side has long been trying to reach an agreement with Russia on the safe evacuation of residents from the occupied Oleshky Community.
On 19 October, the Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, reported significant progress in the negotiations. According to him, the parties have moved on to finalising the details of the ceasefire and evacuation arrangements.
This concerned not only Oleshky, but also six neighbouring settlements. According to estimates by the Ukrainian side, there may still be around six thousand civilians in these areas, including up to 200 children.
22 October Lubinec stated that the negotiations had reached the final stage, although certain issues still needed to be agreed upon.
Previously, the Ukrainian military had been delivering food and medicines to the residents of Oleshky using drones.
The agreement announced by the White House concerns a local ceasefire in Oleshky. It does not constitute a general ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The start of the humanitarian operation will depend on the fulfilment of the agreed security conditions.
