"It is time": Melania Trump urges Putin to protect children amid peace talks
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
First lady Melania Trump at the White House in July. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images
President Trump on Sunday shared a "peace letter" from first lady Melania Trump that Fox News Digital first reported he had "hand-delivered" to Russian leader Vladimir Putin during their summit in Alaska last week.
Why it matters: Kyiv has accused Putin's forces of committing genocide by forcibly moving an estimated 20,000-35,000 Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine since February 2022.
- While the first lady's letter didn't specifically mention Russia's war in Ukraine, she spoke of "protecting the innocence" of children" who "are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them — a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim" their future.
Zoom in: "Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter," Melania Trump said.
- "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 the stroke of the pen today. It is time."
What they're saying: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X said President Volodymyr Zelensky "conveyed his gratitude" to the first lady on her "true act of humanism" during his call with his U.S. counterpart.
More from Axios:
