Ottawa will allocate 10 million Canadian dollars (approximately $7.3 million) for the return and reintegration of Ukrainian children, along with other aid to children in Ukraine, Canadian International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen and Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets announced on Aug. 21.
At least 19,500 Ukrainian children have been confirmed as abducted by Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian government's Children of War database.
During a visit to Kyiv that focused mainly on child welfare, Hussen met with Lubinets and Ukraine's UNICEF Representative Munir Mamadzade. The parties discussed Ukraine's efforts to return kidnapped Ukrainian children and President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace formula, among other issues.
Hussen also visited the Okhmatdyt children's hospital, which was targeted by a deadly Russian missile strike on July 8 that killed two people and injured over 30.
Hussen announced that Canada will provide around $7.3 million for the return of Ukraine's kidnapped children. The funds will be directly transferred to UNICEF in Ukraine, according to Lubinets.
The Canadian government will also provide approximately $1.5 million to the organization Save the Children Canada, which supports Ukrainian children with food, education, and other resources.
An additional $2.5 million will go toward the International Medical Corps U.K., which provides medical and mental health services, and about $147,000 will go to the UN humanitarian service.
"I am grateful to our partners, Canada, as well as UNICEF in Ukraine, for their help in ensuring the best interests of the child," Lubinets wrote.
In February, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak and Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly launched the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.
Canada co-chaired the coalition, which already includes 40 countries, according to Lubinets. Argentina was one of the latest countries to join the coalition in June.
Ukraine has already brought back around 800 children abducted by Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in an interview with Channel 24 published on June 23.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 17, 2023, over the deportation of Ukrainian children.
Putin previously praised Lvova-Belova for her work overseeing the deportation of Ukrainian children, portraying it as a so-called "humanitarian effort" to "protect Russian citizens."
Kateryna Hodunova
(Updated: )
