Ukrainians return home from Russian-occupied Oleshky

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that the humanitarian evacuation of civilians from Russian-occupied Oleshky proves that active hostilities can be halted and can serve as a vital confidence-building measure toward a broader, permanent peace.

Sybiha confirmed that evacuees are safe after crossing the border into Ukraine’s Chernihiv region following months of isolation and hunger. The foreign minister expressed gratitude to the US and First Lady Melania Trump for their mediation, alongside Pope Leo XIV, international partners, and Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.