United States First Lady Melania Trump has written a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.
In the letter, which President Donald Trump handed to Putin during their meeting in Alaska on Friday, the US First Lady pleaded with Putin to end the over the year-war for the sake of children.
The First Lady’s office, reposted a Fox News article on X containing the short letter, a day after Trump and Putin failed to find a breakthrough at their high-stakes meeting.
Melania in the letter noted that “In today’s world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them.
“Mr Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter.
“In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone – you serve humanity itself.
“Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today. It is time.”
Unfortunately, the Alaska meeting failed to resolve the conflict as Trump, who before the meeting warned Putin of “severe consequences” if Russia did not accept a ceasefire, backtracked.
The American leader dropped his demand for a ceasefire, saying the best way to end the war “is to go directly to a peace agreement.”
Incidentally this has been Putin’s position.
The Russian leader has been arguing for negotiations on a final peace deal, a strategy that Ukraine and its European allies have criticized as a way to buy time and press Russia’s battlefield advances.
Trump in July, had said his wife, Melania,
who was born in Slovenia, helped change his thinking about Putin.
He reportedly told his wife, “I go home, I tell the first lady, ‘you know, I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation.
“And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.’”
Trump attempted a rapprochement with Putin shortly after starting his second term, having campaigned on a pledge to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.
During the early months of his new term, he largely directed anger at Ukraine for the lack of a deal, but gradually began expressing frustration that Putin continued his attacks on Ukraine.
