First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska met with the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the situation of the children of Ukraine, Thórdís Gylfadóttir.
“Russia’s illegal deportation of Ukrainian children may be considered the largest such deportation in history, as the aggressor state has transferred to its territory no fewer than 20,000 Ukrainian children of various ages. The criminals must be held accountable,” the President’s wife emphasized.
Olena Zelenska thanked the Council of Europe for its support and noted that Ukraine counts on the Council of Europe’s instrument – the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine – to truly function.
The First Lady also spoke about joint projects of the state and charitable partners aimed at supporting children. These include Social Housing for Youth – the construction of social apartments for young people who have been returned from Russia and temporarily occupied territories; Supported Living – housing and training for young people aged 16–23 with disabilities; Room for Childhood – the construction of homes for large foster families; and Restored Childhood – health improvement programs and psychological rehabilitation camps.
“We are doing everything to ensure that the issue of Ukrainian children and justice for them remains at the forefront of European and global policy,” the First Lady stressed.