Why Ukraine's First Lady Wrote Melania Trump a Letter

Uprising in Ukraine

Ukraine's First Lady Ms. Olena Zelenska wrote to Melania Trump on Sunday, expressing concern for the Russian military assault on Ukrainian cities and villages, as stated in a copy of the letter obtained by CNN. In the letter, she asked Trump to urge her husband, President Biden, to take quick action to help Ukraine defend itself. Zelenskyy also posted a video on his official Twitter account Sunday, saying that the Ukrainian army is ready to fight back and will not give up.

What's Next?

The White House has not yet commented on the letter, but Biden spoke with Zelenskyy earlier this week and assured him that lethal weapons would be provided to Ukraine. In a statement, the President said that "Russian aggression merits a global response," and that the U.S. would soon announce more sanctions on Russia. The U.S. is currently working with allies in Europe to respond to the attacks and ensure that they cause severe consequences for Russia.

Impacts on US-Russia Relations

The U.S. and Russia have already severed relations as a result of the invasion, with President Biden stating that Russia is no longer a regional threat, but rather "a global threat." The U.S. has removed all diplomats and their families from Russia, and closed their embassy in Moscow. In response, Russia expelled the last remaining U.S. diplomats from their country and stated that there would be consequences for the U.S. of its actions. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that the U.S. would become an "unwelcome intruder" in the new global order that Russia intends to dominate.