Melania Trump writes emotional plea to Putin to protect 'innocent' children amid Ukraine peace talks
US First Lady Melania Trump has penned an emotional appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him to end the suffering of children after talks to end the Ukraine war failed last week.
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In a letter shared by her husband, US President Donald Trump, on Truth Social, Mrs Trump said of the world's children: "Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter."
The Slovenian-born First Lady added: "In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone-you serve humanity itself.
"Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today."
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She then signed the letter off, stating: "It is time."
Her advocacy on behalf of children also appears to be a reference to the reports of abductions of Ukrainian children by Russian troops, for which Mr Putin has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
The rare intervention by Mrs Trump comes after talks between the US and Russian presidents in Alaska on Friday failed to produce a ceasefire deal.
Since the summit, several news outlets have cited sources which claimed that during the negotiations Mr Putin demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk - two occupied Ukrainian regions - as a condition for ending the war.
In return for the mineral-rich territories, the Kremlin reportedly said the front line would be frozen and no further territory would be taken.
A source close to the matter told AFP Putin "de facto demands that Ukraine leave Donbas" and "Trump is included to support it".
A Republican source close to Mr Trump told The Telegraph: "The president wants to stop the killing and end the war.
"That's the bottom line.
"Negotiations over territory are part of that process. The ball is in Zelensky's court."
The US President reportedly heard these demands during their meeting in Alaska on Friday.
Mr Trump will speak to Mr Zelensky about it on Monday when they meet in the Oval Office, reports claim.
Mr Trump hoped to secure a peace deal from the talks at a military base in Anchorage, but both he and Mr Putin walked away without agreement on how to end the war in Ukraine.
The US leader, however, insisted "some great progress" was made, with "many points" agreed and "very few" remaining.
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Melania Trump's full letter to Vladimir Putin
Dear President Putin,
Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation's rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.
As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation's hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few. Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all - so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded.
A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation's descendants begin their lives with a purity- an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.
Yet in today's world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them- a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future. Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter.
In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone-you serve humanity itself. Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today.
It is time.
Sincerely,
Melania Trump
