The First Lady has kept her cards close to her chest. But now she’s telling all.
And Melania Trump broke silence and let her true feelings fly.
Melania Trump’s Influence on Ukraine Policy
President Donald Trump, during a Monday meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, credited First Lady Melania Trump with shaping his tougher stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by keeping him informed about civilian attacks.
Trump announced a significant policy shift, facilitating increased U.S. weapons support for Ukraine—fully funded by European allies—and issuing a 50-day ultimatum to Vladimir Putin: end the invasion or face 100% secondary tariffs on countries trading with Russia, impacting nations like China, India, and Turkey.
Trump noted, “I speak to [Putin a lot]. I always hang up and say, ‘Well that was a nice phone call,’ and then missiles are launched into Kyiv. I go home, I tell the first lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation.’ And then she says, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.’”
Ukrainian Appreciation for Melania’s Advocacy
Melania’s role sparked an outpouring of support on social media from Ukrainians and Ukrainian-Americans, who celebrated her Eastern European roots and sensitivity to the conflict.
Ukraine’s United24 Media highlighted her “experience growing up behind the Iron Curtain” in Slovenia, noting her admiration for Ronald Reagan.
Social media posts, reported by The U.K. Guardian and Ukraine’s Business outlet, included playful memes depicting Melania as a Ukrainian ally or “special agent,” with some users suggesting a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
A Kyiv resident, Sergei Taruta, told the New York Post, “She is against war. And she does not want the Slavs to die. And she wants to help somehow. I think she understands more because she is one of ours, coming from a Slavic country.”
Melania’s early statements, such as her February 2022 Twitter post calling Russia’s invasion “heartbreaking and horrific” and urging donations to the International Committee of the Red Cross, have solidified her image as a compassionate advocate.
Trump’s Frustration and Policy Shift
The president’s evolving stance reflects growing frustration with Putin’s duplicity, as Trump remarked last week:
“You know, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said. But he’ll talk so beautifully, and then he’ll bomb people at night. We don’t like that.”
He also expressed exasperation, stating his administration gets “a lot of bullsh*t thrown at us by Putin,” describing him as “very nice all the time” but offering “meaningless” engagement.
Rutte echoed this sentiment, recalling a failed negotiation in Istanbul where Putin sent a historian to discuss Russia’s history since 1250, rather than addressing current issues, as Rutte noted, “He [Putin] didn’t send serious people to the negotiation.”
When asked about Melania’s influence, Trump praised her, saying:
“She’s very smart. She’s very neutral. She’s sort of like me — she’d like to see people stop dying.”
