Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA, Dariia Zarivna, held meetings in Vienna with representatives of the Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria.
The main topic of discussion was expanding cooperation on the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported and forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation.
“Russia does not acknowledge this crime, blocks access to any information, refuses to cooperate with humanitarian organizations, changes the children’s documents, and relocates them to its remote regions. This is a deliberate policy aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity,” Dariia Zarivna stated.
Special attention was given to the initial list of abducted children that the Ukrainian side handed over to the Russian Federation’s representatives during a meeting in Istanbul.
The parties also discussed the Joint Communiqué on the Protection and Return of Ukrainian Children Affected by Russian Aggression. It was signed the day before by the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Austria in Vienna during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official visit.
The Austrian side supports the Bring Kids Back UA initiative and is ready to continue cooperation within the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. In particular, the discussions addressed data verification on abducted children, documentation of violations of international law, and projects for the reintegration and rehabilitation of returned children.