Ukrainians are celebrating ‘agent’ Melania Trump after the First Lady apparently opened President Trump’s eyes to the tragedies still taking place across their beleaguered country.
Trump has admitted that after-hours conversations with his wife preceded the recent US reversal on the treatment of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
‘My conversations with [Putin] are always very pleasant. I say, isn’t that a very lovely conversation? And then the missiles go off that night,’ Trump said on Monday.
‘I go home. I tell the first lady, you know, “I spoke with Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.” She said, “Oh, really? Another city was just hit.”‘
Trump’s comments have since gone viral online, with Ukrainians and their supporters around the world praising Melania for her subtle diplomatic efforts.
‘Agent Melania Trumpenko,’ one X user wrote alongside a picture of the First Lady at Trump’s second inauguration. In the image, Ukrainian military insignia has been edited onto her top.
‘Melania is the Slavic Queen Esther,’ another writes, referencing the Bible story of a young Jewish woman who becomes queen of Persia and in the process saved her people.
‘Melania will save Ukraine,’ another said.
Trump credited Putin ‘s recent reversal of fortune with the US on after-hours conversations he has with Melania which opened his eyes to the crisis
Trump said: ‘I go home. I tell the first lady, you know, ”I spoke with Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.” She said, ”Oh, really? Another city was just hit”
A fourth said: ‘It’s truly astonishing that Melania – elegant, intelligent, and usually so reserved – had to be the one to confront Trump and make him grasp the true threat that Vladimir Putin poses.
‘When even she feels compelled to step in, you know things have gone way too far.’
Melania was born in Slovenia, a nation considered one of Ukraine’s closest allies.
Days after Russia invaded Ukraine, she wrote: ‘It is heartbreaking and horrific to see innocent people suffering. My thoughts and prayers are with the Ukrainian people.
‘Please, if you can, donate to help them [at the] International Committee of the Red Cross.’
Trump went so far as to threaten sanctions on Russia on Monday after months of frustration about unsuccessful negotiations to end the war.
He said he would implement ‘severe tariffs’ unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days.
He provided few details on how they would be implemented, but he described them as secondary tariffs, meaning they would target Russia’s trading partners in an effort to isolate Moscow in the global economy.
Trump has threatened Putin with painful tariffs if he does not work to end the war
In addition, Trump said European allies would buy ‘billions and billions’ of dollars of U.S. military equipment to be transferred to Ukraine, replenishing the besieged country’s supplies of weapons.
Trump initially focused his criticism on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, insisting he was unwilling to compromise, but more recently has expressed growing irritation toward Putin.
But on Tuesday Trump downplayed the possibility of sending Ukraine long-range weapons, insisting that’s not something he is considering doing.
‘I’m on nobody’s side,’ Trump said, adding this concern was for ‘humanity.’
US officials say they are still sorting through Ukraine’s wish list of weaponry to determine what can be most quickly replaced.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss arms transfers that have not yet been approved or completed, said Ukraine’s requests for military equipment are roughly the same as they have been since the start of Russia’s invasion.
Those include air defenses like Patriot missiles and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, long-range missiles known as ATACMS and short- to medium-range ground-to-air missiles known as NASAMs, and assorted artillery, according to the officials.
