Symbolic imageOleshky truce holds as Trump pushes leaders' summit and Europe seeks a seat
The local ceasefire around Oleshky was still being observed on Wednesday, with the evacuation expected within days. Trump says a meeting with Putin and Zelensky will be set up soon.
The truce took effect on Tuesday, 27 October, and is expected to last until 1 November, according to Meduza. Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova said both sides were observing it, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the evacuation would happen within a day or two, adding that Moscow hopes for no provocations. Documents published by Fox News and cited by Meduza show a Russian Defense Ministry plane taking residents via Anapa to Gomel in Belarus on 31 October, accompanied by a Ukrainian delegation led by ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. Le Monde reports that Zelensky called the truce an immense success.
Summit plan and Abu Dhabi talks
Trump told reporters a meeting with Putin and Zelensky would be set up "very soon" and bring "a lot of progress", without naming a place or date. Zelensky hopes technical trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi will take place between 6 and 10 November, while Meduza reports mid-November; no date is confirmed. He wants Europe included and says Washington strongly supports that.
Zelensky on guarantees for Russia
For the first time, Zelensky acknowledged Russia's need for security guarantees, the FT reports. He said the war must be resolved first, Ukraine's own needs come before Russia's, and Europe must join any guarantee talks.
Nordic leaders call Putin
Finland's president Alexander Stubb and Norway's prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke with Putin on Tuesday; FT sources say the call ran about 90 minutes instead of 30, mostly on history. Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said nothing new was discussed and the war would likely escalate, while Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen criticised the lack of EU coordination.