Vladimir Putin has a message for Melania Trump and asks Donald’s special envoy to deliver it
WASHINGTON, DC: Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked US special envoy Steve Witkoff to pass on a message of gratitude to first lady Melania Trump for her reported humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. The request came during their face-to-face meeting in St Petersburg, with Putin praising her work to reunite Ukrainian children with their families.
The message comes as Melania’s top aide, Marc Beckman, has spoken about her reported negotiations with Russian leadership, claiming she helped reunite 34 children with their parents. However, questions remain about the extent of her role as the humanitarian crisis in Russian-occupied Ukraine continues.
Vladimir Putin asks Steve Witkoff to thank Melania Trump
Putin asked Witkoff to convey his “gratitude” to Melania for her efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families. He also praised her reported involvement in efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov shared details of Putin’s message with reporters, according to the state-owned Russian news agency TASS.
The praise comes as relations between Washington and Kyiv remain strained, and the Trump administration’s approach to Russia has drawn attention.
Melania Trump’s aide claims she helped reunite 34 Ukrainian children with their parents
Melania’s top aide, Marc Beckman, recently spoke about her reported efforts during an appearance on Scott Jennings’ podcast. Beckman claimed she helped reunite 34 children with their parents through negotiations.
He also suggested that her work deserved wider recognition.
“I wonder if anybody out there is going to formally recognize this work with some sort of an award or something because it really is incredible,” Beckman said.
However, the full extent of Melania’s role in the negotiations remains unclear.
The claims come against the backdrop of a much larger humanitarian crisis involving Ukrainian children who have been transferred to Russia or Russian-controlled territories since the war began.
Ukrainian authorities estimate that around 20,000 children were forcibly transferred. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry has said that these cases amount to crimes against humanity.
Questions remain over Melania Trump’s role in the Oleshky crisis
Putin also praised Melania’s reported efforts to help resolve the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied Ukrainian city where civilians face shortages of food and medical supplies.
The lack of essential supplies has left residents vulnerable to hunger and disease. Ukraine has repeatedly called for a local ceasefire to allow evacuations from the area, but Russia has not committed to one, according to the Associated Press.
It remains unclear what role Melania has played in addressing conditions in Oleshky or in efforts to secure humanitarian relief for its residents.
Putin’s praise for Melania comes as Donald Trump’s dealings with Moscow face scrutiny. The report says Trump recently struck a deal with Putin to lift congressionally approved sanctions against Russian oil companies.
It also says Russia was allowed to export diesel to the United States as the administration sought to bring down fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces faced sustained restrictions on their use of Starshield, a military-grade version of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network that has become an important part of Ukraine’s defenses against Russian attacks.
Several administration insiders told The Wall Street Journal that Trump knew about the reduction in Starshield service and may even have personally ordered it.
