Melania Trump to host Russian and Ukrainian representatives at White House as strikes continue

First lady Melania Trump will host representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday, the White House said, in what appears to be the first face-to-face meeting of the two sides there. The Kremlin said Russia would be represented by Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev and human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova. Ukraine had not officially confirmed its delegation, though parliamentary faction head David Arakhamia will take part. The meeting follows a temporary humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, in the Kherson region, which the White House says Mrs. Trump negotiated in October to let aid in and prepare a civilian evacuation. She is scheduled to give remarks at 11 a.m. It is unclear whether President Donald Trump or his envoys will attend. The U.S. is due to lead renewed trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi next week. Fighting continued overnight: Ukrainian drones hit Ryazan, injuring one person, the governor said, and Russian strikes injured four people in Ukraine, officials said.

Left-leaning outlets split. NBC News leads with the meeting but adds context: Republican midterm losses, uncertainty over U.S. policy, the Abu Dhabi talks, an unclear purpose and no immediate White House comment. The Washington Post instead leads with Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, including Ryazan, and notes Trump had warned Kyiv against energy attacks. Right-leaning Just the News centers on Mrs. Trump, repeating the White House description of an unprecedented diplomatic initiative and detailing the Oleshky ceasefire; it omits the midterms, Abu Dhabi, attendee names and the refinery strikes. Both sides agree on the Thursday meeting and the ceasefire; they differ on whether to frame it as an achievement or against a backdrop of uncertainty and continued fighting. Alternative outlets diverge: TRT World reports casualty tolls and unverified military claims, while The American Conservative argues, citing Poroshenko, that the Minsk agreements show the war was avoidable.