Melania Trump and Olena Zelenska's peace letters are prime examples of soft power wielded by first ladies

WASHINGTON, DC: This week wasn’t just about the big boys in suits hammering out possible peace deals in DC.

President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and seven other European leaders strolled into the White House to talk Ukraine after Trump’s one-on-one with Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday.

But outside the formal peace tables, first ladies Melania Trump and Olena Zelenska grabbed the spotlight with dueling letters that pleaded for compassion and the welfare of kids.

Melania Trump and Olena Zelenska's letters that made headlines

While Trump was busy facing off with Putin in Alaska, he slipped the Russian leader a note from Melania. The first lady’s so-called “peace letter” didn’t call out Ukraine by name and Putin’s 2022 invasion didn't get a direct mention, but the message was clear.

She urged him to think of the youngest victims of war, writing about “an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.”

The sentimental move must have struck a chord across the Atlantic, because Ukraine’s own first lady quickly followed suit. When Zelensky sat down with Trump in the Oval Office, he handed over a letter from his wife.

“It’s not to you, it’s to your wife,” Zelensky told the president.

The contents of Zelenska’s note weren’t made public, but officials confirmed it was essentially a thank-you to Melania for shining a light on the suffering of children caught in Russia’s crossfire.

Zelensky praises Melania Trump

Experts say the letter-writing wasn’t just Hallmark card diplomacy. Jessica Genauer, a senior lecturer in international relations at Flinders University, explained Zelenska’s strategy.

“Ukraine understands that developing god-friendly relations with President Trump will be critical to ensuring an outcome in the war with Russia that meets some of Ukraine’s interests," she told ABC News. "Trump has mentioned in the past that Melania has influenced his perspective on the war in Ukraine.”

Zelensky himself gave Melania a glowing shout-out. He praised her “for her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war,” adding, “We deeply appreciate her compassion" and that “her voice matters, and her care gives strength to this cause.”

Ukraine has numbers to back up those pleas. Officials say around 19,500 children have been deported or forcibly removed to Russia or occupied territories since the war began.

The ripple effect was immediate. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer both picked up the stolen-children issue during the summit.

Von der Leyen, speaking “as a mother and grandmother,” said, “every single child has to go back to their family. This should be one of our main priorities also in this negotiation, to make sure the children come back to Ukraine, to their families.”

First ladies in the spotlight

While some might roll their eyes at first ladies dabbling in geopolitics, history shows they’ve long played a softer yet powerful hand.

“A first lady taking a role in humanitarian issues is not unprecedented,” Dr. Genauer said. “Advocating for humanitarian issues is often considered a role that transcends political boundaries.”

From Barbara Bush visiting babies with AIDS in 1989, to Laura Bush penning a Washington Post op-ed in 2018 blasting the child-separation policy at the Mexican border, America’s first ladies have been willing to speak up. Michelle Obama and Rosalynn Carter backed Laura up almost instantly, with the latter releasing a statement against the "practice and policy" of "removing children from their parents' care."

Zelenska, too, has leaned on her platform since Russia invaded. "Most Ukrainians saw Olena Zelenska just as the wife of the comedian who was their president. But now they are comparing her with (former US first lady) Michelle Obama," her close pal Levgen Klopotenko told The Telegraph in 2022.

With 2.7 million Instagram followers, she documented war realities daily and rallied global leaders for aid. France’s Brigitte Macron was one of the first to respond, helping secure safe passage for 20 Ukrainian kids battling cancer to continue treatment in France.

Still, Genauer noted, a letter from a first lady to a wartime adversary is unusual. While Melania may have been hoping to nudge Putin on children or even a ceasefire, Genauer admitted it was unlikely the letter will have a "significant impact on Putin and his approach to the war in Ukraine.”

Soft power and how first ladies wield it

The point of all this letter-writing can be chalked up to a clever execution of soft power. As defined by Australia’s foreign policy white paper, it’s “the ability to influence the behaviour or thinking of others through the power of attraction and ideas rather than coerce.”

Genauer framed Zelenska’s move to Melania as exactly that.

“The exchange of letters between first ladies is a way to build a positive relationship and emphasise shared values, which are core to soft power," she said. "Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy has also focused on consolidating Ukraine’s soft power by strengthening his countries relationships and shared values with partners around the world.”

“It remains to be seen whether Melania Trump will respond to Olena Zelenska’s letter with one of her own,” Genauer said.

It's also worth noting that first ladies often end up with higher approval ratings than their husbands. Rosalynn Carter in ’79 was at 59%, while Jimmy sat at a measly 32%. In May 2018, CNN found 57% of Americans approved of Melania, compared to just 43% for her hubby.