WASHINGTON — First Lady Melania Trump is slated to meet Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, this Tuesday.
Olena has actively sought a meeting with the First Lady, as both share a commitment to advocating for the rescue of over 20,000 Ukrainian children reportedly taken by Russian forces amid the ongoing conflict, according to Marc Beckman, a senior advisor to Melania.
“Mrs. Zelensky has made multiple attempts to coordinate a meeting, although there is currently no formal bilateral discussion planned,” Beckman informed Fox News during an interview on “Fox & Friends.”
“While Mrs. Trump is very courteous and plans to extend her greetings today, there is no formal meeting or in-depth dialogue arranged,” he added.
Notably, President Trump delivered a letter from Melania to Russian President Vladimir Putin in August, emphasizing the necessity of establishing peace, particularly concerning children.
This appeal arises amidst claims from Ukraine and various international monitors accusing Russia of kidnapping children from the war-affected region.
The Kremlin stands accused of facilitating the adoption of some of these children, seemingly with the intention of raising them as Russian nationals. Moreover, reports suggest that several children have been sent to military camps and repurposed for combat.
A bipartisan assembly of senators recently introduced legislation seeking to classify Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism due to the abductions.
Melania is perceived by some as an influential figure encouraging the President to apply more pressure on Putin.
President Trump has spoken about his willingness to engage in friendly discussions with Putin, only to be reminded by Melania of the brutal actions taken by Russia against civil areas in Ukraine.
Olena’s outreach to the First Lady seems aimed at leveraging Melania’s influence over her husband.
On the same day, Melania is also set to speak at the United Nations General Assembly about her involvement with the Fostering the Future Together initiative, which focuses on empowering children globally to leverage emerging technologies.
Earlier in the day, the President addressed the UN at its New York headquarters, criticizing the drawbacks of globalism, including mass migrations and climate change initiatives.
President Trump is anticipated to meet with the Ukrainian leader on Tuesday to discuss ongoing initiatives aimed at concluding the protracted conflict.
After his Alaska summit with Putin last month, Trump has indicated support for increasing secondary sanctions and tariff pressures on Russia, provided that NATO allies agree.
