The Ukrainian president Volodímir Zelenski awarded the Order of Princess Olga of the first class to Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States, in recognition of her role as a mediator in the humanitarian truce that allowed for the evacuation of civilians from the city of Oleshki, in the Kherson region.
The Ukrainian presidential decree no. 1079/2026, signed on November 2, acknowledges the "significant personal contribution" of the First Lady to humanitarian support for Ukraine, her activities in defense of human rights, and her work on behalf of Ukrainian children who have been deported or forcibly relocated from territories under Russian occupation.
The Order of Princess Olga is one of the highest civil distinctions in Ukraine and is awarded exclusively to women for exceptional contributions in fields such as humanitarian work, education, culture, and charity.
The same decree awarded Mark Beckman, senior advisor to Melania Trump, the Golden Heart Award.
The award is directly linked to the truce negotiated in Oleshki, a city under Russian occupation since April 2022, which had a population of 24,000 before the invasion and had only about 2,000 residents—approximately 50 of whom were children—at the time of the ceasefire.
The White House announced on October 23 that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to temporarily suspend military operations in the area, with the mediation of Melania Trump and the participation of Pope Leo XIV. The pause took effect on October 27 and was extended until November 1.
The operation involved 25 buses and nine ambulances. Melania Trump stated that nearly 800 people were evacuated, although Ukraine accused Russian forces of using the pause to rotate troops and reinforce positions, allegations that have not been independently verified.
The decoration arrives at a time of intense diplomatic activity. This Thursday, Melania Trump summoned delegations from both countries. Zelenski has supported technical talks but insists that territorial issues must be resolved in a summit of leaders with Trump and Putin.
The context, however, remains marked by violence. On Monday, Russia bombed a school that had been converted into a humanitarian aid distribution center in Komyshuvakha, in the Zaporiyia region, resulting in at least 33 deaths and around 50 people missing, in what Zelensky described as one of the deadliest attacks of the war.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff also announced trilateral negotiations between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, confirmed by the Kremlin.
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