Zelenskyy says Ukraine will honor Oleshky ceasefire, counts on US mediation

Ceasefire announcement

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that Kyiv will abide by a localized ceasefire in the Russian-controlled southern city of Oleshky, stating that Ukraine is relying on American mediation to implement the humanitarian pause announced by US First Lady Melania Trump. The Ukrainian leader said the truce would allow a humanitarian operation to proceed, including reopening access to the city, delivering food and medicine, and enabling civilians to leave the combat zone.

Minefields and mediation

Zelenskyy noted that negotiations for the humanitarian operation had been ongoing at various levels for some time. "In the occupied part, the temporarily occupied part, of our Kherson region, the Russians have mined the roads, making the situation dire, extremely dire," he said, describing the dangerous conditions facing evacuation efforts. "Ukraine will do its part. We count on American mediation to work," he added, emphasizing Kyiv's commitment to the agreement brokered by Washington.

Conflicting timelines

Both Russia and Ukraine confirmed the temporary ceasefire on Friday, though they offered differing timelines for its implementation. Moscow and Kyiv stated that fighting would halt in the early hours of Tuesday, while an earlier White House statement had indicated the truce would begin on Thursday.