Melania Trump skips Donald's results party, ignores election updates... and tweets about Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
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By CHARLIE SPIERING, US POLITICAL REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
Melania Trump skipped the White House's election night event on Tuesday as Republicans watched their grip on Congress slip, busying herself instead with her own Russia-Ukraine peace mission.
A White House source confirmed to the Daily Mail that the First Lady stayed away as President Donald Trump and his aides gathered in the East Room to watch the results, where the mood turned defiant as Republican majorities faded.
Melania ignored election updates, only posting details on her social media about a planned event at the White House to highlight the ceasefire in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Oleshky and surrounding areas.
Representatives of Russia and Ukraine will attend the event in the White House's Grand Foyer on Thursday, an administration official confirmed to the Daily Mail.
Melania stayed off the campaign trail throughout the midterms, focusing instead on her own initiatives supporting women and children.
The first lady worked independently to broker the ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine, a source told the Daily Mail, and hailed the success of her efforts on Sunday.
'The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster,' Melania said in a statement. 'Oleshky's remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water.'
The First Lady became personally involved in the ceasefire after attending the United Nations General Assembly in September and learning of the horrific conditions of the people there.
First Lady Melania Trump became deeply concerned about the plight of Ukrainians in Oleshky during her trip to the United Nations General Assembly
Ukrainian medics assist a resident evacuated from the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky
'Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination,' she detailed.
'I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine.'
Trump endorsed her efforts, telling reporters on Friday that she contacted both Ukrainian and Russian officials to begin the talks.
'What she wants to do is save children. And that's her focus. Both sides are cooperating with her, so she's doing a very good job.'
An estimated 2,000 people were still living in Oleshky when the temporary truce took hold.
The First Lady also celebrated reports that Ukrainians were evacuating the city.
Evacuees wrapped in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags stepped off buses late last week at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border where they were reunited with family members.
'The ceasefire across Oleshky and the surrounding Kherson region has provided residents with the freedom to move, access to food, clean water, medicine, plus a renewed sense of dignity without the constant threat of attack,' she wrote on Saturday.
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