Several Ukrainian children abducted to Russia returned in initiative backed by Melania Trump, White House says
Several Ukrainian children previously taken to Russia have been returned to their families in Ukraine, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump announced on Feb. 12.
"Today marks the third reunification since I have been working strategically with both nations. I have no doubt more progress will come," Melania Trump said in a statement.
Melania Trump has made the issue of abducted Ukrainian children a central focus of her humanitarian agenda.
The U.S. first lady also said that Russian children were also "successfully united" with their parents.
While Ukraine’s national "Children of War" database has documented 20,000 Ukrainian children that have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and taken to Russia or Russian-controlled areas since the full-scale invasion, there are no credible reports or verified evidence that suggests Russian children have been abducted by Ukrainians during the war.
The White House did not respond to the Kyiv Independent's request for clarification.
The White House also did not provide the exact number of Ukrainian children reunited with their parents.
Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the abduction of Ukrainian children, claimed that five Ukrainian children — four boys and one girl, aged 4 to 15 — were returned to Ukraine, while one child was returned to Russia.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the returned children and the Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the claims made by Lvova-Belova.
"Although all parties are cooperating and our communications remain robust, I urge Russia and Ukraine to intensify their efforts to ensure the safe return of every child to their families and guardians," Trump added in her statement.
In August 2025, the U.S. first lady sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing the issue of Ukrainian children taken to Russia. The letter was delivered by U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting with Putin in Alaska on August 15.
While the letter did not assign direct blame for the documented deportations, it urged the Russian leader to protect the innocence of children and referenced the possibility of a future peace agreement.
Ukraine has consistently stated that the return of abducted children must be a condition of any eventual peace deal with Russia.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Putin and Lvova-Belova, accusing them of the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian minors. Moscow has rejected the allegations.
Fewer than 2,000 of the abducted Ukrainian children have been returned to their Ukrainian families.
