Ukrainian and American delegations released a joint statement following a March 11, 2025, meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, outlining important steps to restoring "durable peace" for Ukraine. Among them was the return of Ukrainian children who have been transferred to the Russian Federation as a necessary part of the peace process. During this webinar, participants discussed what those negotiating the end of the conflict must do to ensure that the globally recognized rights of children are upheld.
Although the precise number of Ukrainian children transferred to Russia, Russian-occupied territories, and Belarus remains unknown, this crisis is considered one of the largest missing children’s cases since World War II. The Ukrainian government has reported more than 19,500 confirmed cases. The actual number is undoubtedly significantly higher, but it is difficult to assess given limited access to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine and the lack of transparency from Russia. Moscow announced that it had brought 700,000 children from Ukraine to Russia. However, Russian authorities have not published any data on the number of Ukrainian children under their control since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant in March 2023 against Vladimir Putin and the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for unlawfully deporting and transferring Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation.
Evidence indicates that hundreds of Ukrainian children have been placed in Russian foster and adoptive families and given Russian nationality. Many others have been transferred to "camps" and other facilities, where Russian officials have said they are "integrated" into Russian society and receive "patriotic education." Some have been militarized. Efforts to return forcibly transferred children to Ukraine have been piecemeal amid Russian obstructions. To date, only 1,307 of those abducted have been returned to Ukraine.
The forced separation of children from their families is not uncommon in situations of armed conflict, although it is an egregious violation of international law. The global child protection community has learned much about the intricacies of family tracing and reunification in the aftermath of Argentina’s "Dirty War" and in response to the abduction of children by Boko Haram in Nigeria, the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, and numerous other conflicts. The family reunification process is rarely quick and can take years. It involves identifying missing children, ensuring the safety of both the child and the family, and providing psychological and social reintegration support. Success depends on coordination between governments, international organizations, and affected communities.
This webinar conversation focused on the technical aspects involved in facilitating return, including lessons learned from other contexts.
Photo courtesy of Save Ukraine.
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