The White House said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a humanitarian truce in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky and its surrounding area after mediation by Melania Trump. It said the truce is due to begin next Thursday and would allow civilian teams from both sides to provide aid and evacuate civilians who wish to leave.

Ukraine and Russia had not confirmed that an agreement exists. A single report said about 6,000 people remain in Oleshky, where food shortages have been reported, and that mines around the city and its access roads have prevented supplies from reaching it.