Russia is using its own crimes to win White House's favor - ISW
Photo: Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev (Getty Images)
The Kremlin is weaponizing humanitarian crises created by Russia itself to win favor with the Donald Trump administration, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
ISW experts noted that the November 5 ceremony at the White House, during which Melania Trump hosted representatives of Ukraine and Russia following the evacuation of residents from occupied Oleshky, demonstrated how the Kremlin is weaponizing humanitarian crises created by Russia itself to win favor with the Donald Trump administration.
Analysts pointed out that during the meeting with Melania Trump at the White House, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev emphasized the humanitarian success of the ceasefire, without acknowledging that Russia's invasion and occupation had caused the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky.
He also compared the ceasefire in Oleshky with the US First Lady's previous efforts to repatriate Ukrainian children deported from Russia.
ISW noted that Dmitriev's remarks were consistent with Russia's previous attempts to use limited humanitarian cooperation – over crises such as the situation in Oleshky or the return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children, for which Russia bears sole responsibility – to "court" the Trump administration, push the White House to adopt a more favorable stance toward Russia, and secure concessions from the US in future negotiations.
In reality, Russian officials' attempts to portray Putin as a "willing negotiator with humanitarian inclinations" came after a series of devastating Russian strikes on Ukraine's civilian population in recent months.
These included a recent strike on the railway station in Dnipro, which killed at least 14 people on the very days when the ceasefire was in effect in the Oleshky area.
On November 5, US First Lady Melania Trump hosted representatives of Ukraine and Russia at the White House to discuss the ceasefire in Oleshky.
The Ukrainian delegation was led by Ukrainian MP Davyd Arakhamia and Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
Melania Trump also wrote personal letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging them to work toward lasting peace.
