Trump predicts Russia deal on Ukraine and Europe

US President Donald Trump predicted on Thursday a "very big" deal with Russia involving more than Ukraine and possibly "all of Europe," after saying he had met a top Russian envoy at the White House.

"It's going to be very big. It's going to involve more than Ukraine, and I could even say it might involve all of Europe," Trump told reporters.

His comments came as US First Lady Melania Trump hosted officials from Ukraine and Russia at the White House and called for a more enduring ceasefire in Ukraine.

Melania Trump earlier helped negotiate a six-day local ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, which ended on Sunday. The pause allowed roads to be demined and residents to leave for either Ukraine or Russia.

At a joint press conference with Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Ukrainian ceasefire negotiator David Arakhamia, Melania Trump said: "Together, we can create something more enduring than a temporary ceasefire."

She said she had written personal letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets presented her with a national award for her role in the Oleshky ceasefire, and Dmitriev thanked her on behalf of Putin and the Russian Federation.

The White House meeting followed earlier plans to bring Russian and Ukrainian representatives together in Washington before expected talks in Abu Dhabi on ending the war.