President Volodymyr Zelensky said the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children has grown to nearly 50 countries, with Switzerland and Cyprus joining the initiative during a high-level meeting in Brussels on Monday.
The third high-level meeting of the coalition was co-hosted by Ukraine, the EU and Canada. It was attended by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and representatives of 63 countries and international organizations, according to the Presidential Office.
Speaking by video address to participants, Zelensky thanked the EU and partner countries for helping Ukraine investigate the abduction of children by Russia, return them home and support their recovery.
“Every case is the story of a real child – and a real family,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky emphasized that Russia had abducted thousands of Ukrainian children, hidden them, separated them from their families and tried to teach them to hate Ukraine.
“When a country becomes such an evil force – a force that does not stop even at destroying the lives of children – this cannot be treated as just a regional problem, something happening ‘somewhere far away,’” he said.
“If a country commits such crimes against children, it means it is capable of any crime,” Zelensky added. “And that is exactly why this challenge requires a global response.”
The coalition was launched on Feb. 2, 2024, to support the safe return and reintegration of Ukrainian children unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred by Russia. According to the Presidential Office, 2,134 children have been brought home since the initiative began.
According to the president, children are returning almost every month, but many more still need to be found and brought home.
“The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his accomplices in the abduction of children,” Zelensky noted.
The meeting coincided with new sanctions by the UK, Canada and the EU against Russian entities and individuals involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children. The UK imposed restrictions on 85 individuals and legal entities, Canada sanctioned 23 individuals and five organizations, and the EU package included 16 individuals and seven organizations.
The EU said its sanctions targeted those responsible for the unlawful deportation, forced transfer, forced assimilation, indoctrination, militarized education, unlawful adoption and removal of Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-occupied territories.