First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Riley M. Barnes.
The meeting focused on the issue of the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
“We particularly appreciate that the issue of Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian children receives a high level of attention in the United States and has not been lost among other security issues,” Olena Zelenska said.
The President’s wife emphasized that, according to official data alone, there are approximately 20,000 reports of the deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children.
“Only Russia knows the true number. It blocks international monitoring, conceals information, alters children’s personal data, and stopped publishing statistics after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants,” the First Lady noted.
Olena Zelenska thanked everyone involved in the process of bringing young Ukrainians home.
“Returning children home is only half the journey. Because in their homeland, they need proper conditions and opportunities, as well as dignified reintegration. As part of the Better Care reform, a national system of support for children after their return has been established in Ukraine. In 2025, 848 children and their families received such support. The United States is one of our key partners in this area,” the President’s wife emphasized.
According to the First Lady, most returning children have lost everything. That is why the team of the Coordination Center for Family Upbringing and Child Care Development and the Olena Zelenska Foundation are working across several areas and invite international partners to join these efforts: Social Housing for Youth – construction of social apartments for young people who have returned from the Russian Federation and the temporarily occupied territories; Supported Living – housing and training for young people aged 16–23 with disabilities; the Room for Childhood project – construction of homes for large foster families; Minivans for Large Foster Families – provision of transport for safety and daily needs; Humanitarian Assistance – support for over 1,000 large foster families with household appliances, furniture, and learning devices; and Psychological Rehabilitation Camps – camps for children and adolescents who have experienced war or deportation.
“I am convinced that the return and reintegration of Ukrainian children is an essential component of the just peace for which Ukraine is fighting,” the First Lady concluded.