Putin Gushes Over Melania for Doing Him a Favor
The Russian dictator had a flattering message for Melania Trump.
Kylie Cooper/Mikhail Metzel/Reuters
Vladimir Putin is turning on the charm for Melania Trump.
The Russian tyrant gushed over the first lady’s “humanitarian efforts” in Ukraine during his face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg.
Putin asked Witkoff to pass along his “gratitude” to Melania for her efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families and for leading mediations to “resolve” the humanitarian crisis in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, according to TASS, the state-owned Russian news agency.
The 74-year-old dictator’s flattery of Melania, 56, comes as Trump, 80, has handed Moscow a series of wins while U.S.-Ukraine relations continue to deteriorate.
Trump last week struck a deal with Putin to lift congressionally approved sanctions against Russian oil companies, after allowing Russia to export diesel to the U.S. in a desperate move to drop fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces faced sustained restrictions last week on their use of Starshield, a military-grade version of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network that has become a critical tool in Ukraine’s defenses against Russian attacks.
Several administration insiders told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that Trump had full knowledge and may even have personally ordered a reduction in Starshield service.
In an October 2025 speech, Melania said she and Putin had an “open channel of communication” regarding the reunification of children swept up in his war.
SPUTNIK/REUTERS
Putin’s praise for Melania also lands days after the first lady’s top aide Marc Beckman bragged about her “direct line” to Russian leadership last week.
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Beckman claimed on Scott Jennings ’ podcast that Melania had facilitated the reunification of 34 children and their parents by leading negotiations.
“I wonder if anybody out there is going to formally recognize this work with some sort of an award or something because it really is incredible,” Beckman said.
Ukrainian authorities estimate that around 20,000 children were forcibly transferred to Russia or Russian-controlled territories since the start of the war. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry has said these cases amount to crimes against humanity.
It remains unclear what role Melania has played in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, where scarce food and medical supplies have left civilians at risk of dying from hunger and disease.
Ukraine has repeatedly urged a local ceasefire to facilitate evacuations, but Russia has made no commitment, the Associated Press reports.
Melania and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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