Donald Trump has revealed what was in the "private" letter that Melania wrote to Vladimir Putin.
Trump hand-delivered the note to Putin on Friday, August 15, during their face-to-face talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
According to officials, the Russian leader read the letter “immediately” in front of delegates. In it, Melania appealed directly to Putin by invoking the suffering of children caught in the conflict.
“Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or magnificent city-center,” the letter read. “They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.”
She continued: “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.”
Calling on Putin to end the war, Melania added: “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 the stroke of the pen today. It is time.”
The note, signed “Melania Trump,” concluded with an urgent appeal for peace.
The letter’s delivery came against the backdrop of staggering losses from the war.
CNN reported nearly one million Russian soldiers killed or wounded since the invasion began in February 2022, while Statista estimates close to 14,000 Ukrainian civilians — including more than 700 children — have died.
Despite the dramatic gesture, the Alaska meeting ended without a formal peace agreement.
Both Trump and Putin described the talks as “productive,” with Trump telling reporters: “There are just a very few [points] that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there. We didn’t get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”
Speaking later to Fox News’s Sean Hannity, Trump claimed both Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky wanted him involved in future discussions: “They both want me there, and I’ll be there.”
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff also revealed what he called a “game-changing” concession from Putin: allowing the U.S. and European allies to offer Ukraine Article 5-like security guarantees, similar to NATO protection. Still, the fate of occupied regions like Donbas remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, critics in Washington blasted the summit. Senator Chris Murphy called the VIP treatment for Putin “an embarrassment for the United States.”
Trump, in turn, lashed out on Truth Social, writing: “There is NOTHING I can say or do that would lead them to write or report honestly about me. If I got Russia to give up Moscow as part of the Deal, the Fake News, and their PARTNER, the Radical Left Democrats, would say I made a terrible mistake and a very bad deal.”
As questions swirl about the letter’s true authorship, Trump now prepares for a White House meeting with Zelensky, joined by European leaders including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Finland’s Alexander Stubb, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO chief Mark Rutte.