Zelensky honors Melania Trump with first-class Order of Princess Olga

By Yusuf İnan | Wise News Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded U.S. First Lady Melania Trump the country’s highest Order of Princess Olga for her humanitarian work supporting Ukrainian children and war-affected civilians.

The award was granted under Presidential Decree No. 1079/2026, signed on November 2, 2026. The decree specifically cited Trump’s involvement in protecting children and civilians who were illegally deported or forcibly displaced from Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia.

The decision comes as Ukraine continues seeking international assistance to identify and return children taken from occupied areas. Kyiv has made the recovery and reintegration of these children a central humanitarian and diplomatic priority during the war.

Decree signed on November 2

According to the official presidential decree, Melania Trump received the first-class Order of Princess Olga for her significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine.

The decree also recognizes her human rights advocacy and charitable activities on behalf of people affected by Russia’s aggression.

Particular attention was given to work involving Ukrainian children and civilians who, according to the Ukrainian authorities, were illegally deported or forcibly transferred from territories occupied by the Russian Federation.

The document identifies the recipient as Melania Trump, First Lady of the United States of America, and bears Zelenskyy’s signature. It does not provide information about when or where the medal will be presented.

Details of a possible award ceremony, including the participants and whether Trump will receive the decoration in person, have not yet been announced by the Ukrainian presidency.

Ukrainian children at the center of the award

The killing and injury of children, family separations and the removal of minors from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories have remained prominent international issues throughout the war.

Ukraine is seeking international support to locate the children, confirm their identities and return them to their families or legal guardians. The process extends beyond physically bringing a child across the border.

Ukrainian officials say returning children may also require family-based care, housing, education, medical services and psychological assistance, especially when their homes have been destroyed or close relatives cannot be found.

In March 2026, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska thanked the United States and Melania Trump for advocating the return of Ukrainian children. She said identifying the children was only the first stage and that sustained international pressure and cooperation were necessary to secure their return.

The Ukrainian presidency also announced in March that the United States would launch a $25 million program covering the identification, return and reintegration of Ukrainian children.

At the time, Zelenska said 2,048 children had been returned through the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, while thousands of others remained separated from their families. The figure was provided by the Ukrainian presidency.

Melania Trump’s child reunification initiative

The White House has reported that Melania Trump was involved in contacts aimed at reuniting Ukrainian and Russian children with their relatives.

In a July 30 statement, the White House said a fifth group of children had been reunited with their families. Five children were included in that operation.

Trump said her representative would continue working with both the Russian and Ukrainian governments to help children return safely to their homes, communities and caregivers. The White House described the effort as a humanitarian initiative intended to restore families separated by the war.

A separate White House statement issued on August 17 said Trump’s efforts had helped facilitate the reunification of 34 children and families by that date. According to the administration, the initiative developed after she sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin calling for children affected by the war to be protected.

The total of 34 was reported by the White House and has not been presented as an independently verified figure.

Trump and Zelenska also met in New York in September 2025. According to the Ukrainian presidency, Zelenska thanked the U.S. First Lady for focusing attention on children affected by Russia’s war and for her letter appealing to Putin to protect children.

The two First Ladies discussed cooperation to protect children and their right to a safe childhood. Zelenska said humanitarian engagement and what she described as “soft power” could help improve the lives of children affected by conflict.

What is the Order of Princess Olga?

The Order of Princess Olga is a Ukrainian state decoration established on August 15, 1997. It is awarded to women for distinguished personal contributions in public service, science, education, culture, charitable work and other areas of social activity.

The order has three classes. Under its official statute, the first class is the highest grade.

Ukrainian citizens ordinarily receive the decoration sequentially, beginning with the third class. Foreign nationals, however, may be granted a higher class directly, depending on the significance of their contribution.

The statute allows foreign citizens and people without citizenship to receive the decoration. Proposals concerning foreign recipients may be submitted through Ukraine’s diplomatic missions and Foreign Ministry before being presented to the president.

The insignia of the first-class order is made of silver and features an image of Princess Olga surrounded by decorative elements and four rectangular amethysts. Its design also includes Ukraine’s national emblem and stylized branches of the viburnum plant, a prominent Ukrainian national symbol.

By awarding Trump the first class, Zelenskyy granted her the decoration’s highest level rather than beginning with its third class.

A humanitarian diplomacy initiative

The award reflects Ukraine’s effort to treat the return of children not only as a legal and political issue but also as a matter of international humanitarian diplomacy.

Kyiv has sought support from governments, First Ladies, international organizations, human rights institutions and prominent public figures. This approach is intended to create additional communication channels when direct political negotiations remain limited or difficult.

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly emphasized that a child’s return does not end when the child crosses the border. Children who have spent prolonged periods away from their families and familiar surroundings may require education, health care, secure accommodation and long-term psychological support.

Some may return to damaged communities, while others may no longer have parents or relatives able to provide care. Ukraine therefore describes reintegration as a separate and equally important stage of the return process.

Zelenskyy’s decree represents one of Ukraine’s highest symbolic recognitions of Melania Trump’s involvement in this field. It also formally connects the award to support for civilians affected by Russia’s invasion, including people deported or displaced from occupied Ukrainian territories.

No official presentation date was included in the decree. Further information is expected from the Ukrainian presidency or the Office of the U.S. First Lady if a formal ceremony is arranged.

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