Donald Trump‘s wife Melania Trump’s adviser made a bold claim about who really brokered the Oleshky ceasefire. The first lady’s top aide challenged both the Vatican and the Kremlin’s version of events in a new interview.
Marc Beckman credits Melania Trump with leading Oleshky negotiations
Marc Beckman, Melania Trump’s top adviser, claimed on Fox & Friends Weekend that the first lady initiated and led ceasefire negotiations in Oleshky, Ukraine, according to The Daily Beast.
Beckman stated that both President Putin and President Zelensky brought Melania in as an intermediary through written state documents over a month ago. He added that she managed the entire negotiation process throughout.
Beckman also suggested that Melania’s involvement drew Pope Leo’s attention to the situation. “As a result of her participation, I guess she caught the attention of the Pope, which is great,” Beckman said. He further claimed Pope Leo only stepped in to support the first lady’s existing efforts a few days before the announcement.
The White House announced on Friday that Melania brokered a ceasefire limited to the Russian-occupied Oleshky. The deal was set to begin October 29 to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations. Beckman called it “the first sign towards real, everlasting peace within this war-torn region.”
However, Beckman’s account directly contradicts statements from both the Vatican and the Kremlin. Pope Leo had called Putin on October 16 to request a ceasefire in Oleshky while recovering from lung cancer surgery. The Kremlin confirmed in a statement that Putin agreed to cooperate with efforts to ensure residents’ safety.
Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin attributed the ceasefire to the pope’s initiative. “It was the Holy Father who took the initiative to plead the case of this besieged city, where some 2,000 civilians need humanitarian routes through which they can leave,” Parolin said.
Beckman also appeared on Kremlin-controlled channel Vesti TV, telling the outlet that Melania “oversaw the entire process” and had a detailed evacuation plan.
