Melania accused of hogging all the credit and ignoring Pope Leo’s role in securing Ukraine ceasefire

First Lady Melania Trump is facing criticism for taking credit to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine without acknowledging Pope Leo XIV’s earlier efforts.

A ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in southern Ukraine occupied by Russian forces, will begin October 29, the White House announced Friday. The deal would allow humanitarian aid deliveries and evacuations of elderly residents.

Melania called conditions in Oleshky “dire” and “on the brink of disaster,” claiming her intervention was crucial to securing the deal without mentioning Leo’s earlier outreach to Russian and Ukrainian leaders.

“It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible,” she said in a statement.

President Donald Trump praised his wife’s role in the agreement, saying she had contacted both sides and that both were willing to cooperate.

“What she wants to do is save children,” Trump said. “She’s doing a very good job.”

The announcement prompted criticism online after the Vatican outlined Pope Leo’s diplomatic efforts in the days before the ceasefire was announced. According to the Vatican, Leo contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 16 and asked him to arrange a ceasefire to allow food and humanitarian assistance into Oleshky.

The Kremlin confirmed Putin’s October 16 call with the pope, saying he agreed to help protect residents and provide essential supplies.

The Vatican said Leo spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy three days later, and Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin later credited the pope with initiating the ceasefire effort.

Former Biden aide Chris Jackson accused the White House of crediting Melania while ignoring Pope Leo’s efforts.

“Pope Leo personally called Putin and Zelenskyy, pushing for a ceasefire in Ukraine,” Jackson wrote Friday on X. “Now the Trump White House is trying to give MELANIA TRUMP the credit, completely ignoring the Pope’s efforts!”

Officials on both sides of the conflict have also acknowledged the agreement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the ceasefire arrangement Friday and credited Melania with helping broker it.

Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets also confirmed the arrangement and the first lady’s mediation, while Ukrainian official Davyd Arakhamia said the agreement was the result of a longer process involving both Melania and Pope Leo.

Although the Vatican has not endorsed Melania’s assertion that the agreement would have been impossible without her intervention, it has acknowledged her efforts.

The dispute comes amid an increasingly public feud between Trump and Leo, who have clashed over the administration’s immigration policies and the war in Iran. The pope has repeatedly criticized the human cost of military action, while Trump has accused him of being weak on crime and foreign policy.

The feud escalated in April, when Trump attacked the pontiff on Truth Social after Leo criticized the war in Iran.

Trump also shared an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ, drawing backlash from critics, including some Christians.

Leo responded that he was not afraid of the Trump administration and would continue speaking out for peace, insisting his message was rooted in the Gospel rather than politics. Trump refused to apologize, saying that the pope was wrong to criticize his Iran policy.