On the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Leaders’ Summit of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was held, co-chaired by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney.
“For years, we have been fighting to bring our children home. And we need real results, real, which means the actual return of all the abducted Ukrainian children,” the Head of State emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked all the countries that have enforced the ICC warrant for Vladimir Putin and others guilty of abducting children.
The President noted that thanks to the Bring Kids Back UA initiative and the support of partners, Ukraine has succeeded in returning 1,625 children. He urged participants of the summit to join the projects of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska on the reintegration and rehabilitation of children who have come back home.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also announced that Ukraine is launching a pilot mechanism to collect information on illegally displaced Ukrainian children in Russia and in occupied territories.
“And I urge you – please, in every sanctions package, increase the pressure on those Russian politicians, officials, judges, propagandists, and others involved in child abductions and the attempt to “reprogram” their minds,” the Head of State added.
The President recalled that during a meeting in Türkiye, Ukraine handed over to Russian representatives an initial list of 339 abducted children. However, the Russian side refused to engage in good-faith dialogue. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this year Ukraine will submit to the UN General Assembly a resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of children.
“Forcibly taking children from one nation and trying to re-educate them for the benefit of another is an obvious crime. The UN must say this clearly once again,” the President concluded.
First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, in her address, shared the stories of Ukrainian children abducted or deported by Russia.
“Ukraine cannot bring them all back alone. Russia refuses to provide information even to international organizations and ignores the Geneva Convention. That is why, together with our partners, Ukraine created the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. I am grateful to Canada, the United States, and everyone who joined us from the very beginning,” she said.
The President’s wife called on partners to take decisive joint action and spoke about rehabilitation projects for children who have returned home.
“The return of Ukrainian children is not a political issue. It is a test of our humanity. It is a humanitarian call. When it comes to humanity, neutrality is impossible,” Olena Zelenska emphasized.
Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney urged partners to intensify sanctions pressure on Russia and to work together to ensure a reliable peace, including within the Coalition of the Willing.
“But that peace will only be peace if the children are reunited with their families and their homeland. And we will work tirelessly until this happens,” Mark Carney stressed.
First Lady of Canada Diana Fox Carney underlined that her country would make every effort to ensure Ukrainian children return home.
“Together with our partners, Canada will never abandon its mission until we achieve our goal,” she said.
The summit was attended by more than 40 delegations, including over 15 heads of state and government, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Queen Silvia of Sweden, first ladies and gentlemen, as well as representatives of governments and international organizations. They affirmed their support for Ukraine in returning children who were illegally deported or forcibly displaced by Russia.
