Melania Trump to Meet Zelenska at UN General Assembly in New York

First Lady Melania Trump will briefly greet Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, according to aides familiar with the plan. The encounter comes as Washington faces scrutiny over its approach to Ukraine amid a war that has stretched international support and testing diplomatic lines.

Zelenska had invited Melania to attend the fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen that took place in Kyiv on Sept. 10–11, but Melania did not attend that event and instead was present at commemorations marking the 9/11 attacks. Ukrinform reported that Melania would not attend; a state news agency in Ukraine later indicated the two first ladies would meet later in September in New York alongside the U.N. General Assembly. The East Wing of the White House described the meeting as not a formal bilateral, but it is seen as a signaling moment given Melania Trump’s influence on her husband’s posture toward Kyiv.

Marc Beckman, a senior adviser to Melania, confirmed the encounter to Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning. President Donald Trump and Zelensky were scheduled to hold a bilateral at UNGA around 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The president has repeatedly referenced Melania as a factor in his approach to the war, even as he has grown publicly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to agree to terms that Kyiv regards as acceptable. At times, Trump has suggested he would prefer global economic pressure to provide a path toward a settlement, while contending that European partners should do more to curb Moscow’s energy leverage.

The lead-up to UNGA has underscored the larger political equation around Ukraine: U.S. support remains a central domestic issue, even as allied capitals grapple with how hard to lean on Moscow. Trump has framed Russia’s aggression as a humanitarian and security challenge and has cited concerns about the humanitarian toll as part of his broader critique of the Kremlin. He has previously spoken of private conversations with Putin, though publicly he has not endorsed a new round of sanctions beyond those already in place, and he has argued that European nations should reduce purchases of Russian oil before taking more punitive steps.

In Kyiv, Zelensky has publicly thanked Melania for drawing attention to the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia, describing it as a central humanitarian tragedy of the war. Zelensky said a letter from his wife to Melania—delivered to the first lady through Trump—outlines the scope of the issue, noting that tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been taken from their families. Zelensky added that Melania’s voice matters in sustaining international pressure to address the issue, which remains a core element of Kyiv’s diplomatic messaging.

The meeting with Zelenska arrives as U.S. officials emphasize a measured approach at the UN, with a focus on alliance cohesion and strategic messaging. The two first ladies’ planned exchange is being viewed as a soft signal of shared concern over Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis and the broader fight against Russia’s aggression. Melania’s involvement is also seen in the context of her influence on foreign-policy optics within the administration.

Jill Biden, Melania Trump’s predecessor as first lady, previously made a secret trip to Ukraine on Mother's Day in 2022, meeting Zelenska in Uzhhorod near the border with Slovakia. The visit, which occurred early in the war, highlighted the ongoing humanitarian and diplomatic channels that have characterized U.S. engagement with Ukraine throughout the conflict.