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Ukraine's First Lady Zelenska meets Melania Trump to discuss children affected by war

2 min read
Ukraine's First Lady Zelenska meets Melania Trump to discuss children affected by war
A photo published on Sept. 25, 2025, showing the meeting between Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska, and her U.S. counterpart, Melania Trump. (Ukraine's Presidential Office)

Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska, met her U.S. counterpart, Melania Trump, to discuss Ukrainian children suffering due to Russia's war, Zelenska announced on Sept. 25.

Zelenska said the two discussed their "shared values, foremost among them the protection of children and their childhood."

The first ladies met in New York as Zelenska accompanied President Volodymyr Zelensky to the 80th United Nations General Assembly. Ukraine's Presidential Office reported on the meeting on Sept. 24, without providing details.

According to earlier reporting, Melania Trump wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the plight of Ukrainian children as he arrived in Alaska to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 15.

While some media claimed the U.S. first lady referred specifically to children abducted by Russia, a version of the letter allegedly obtained by Fox News was more opaque and made no direct reference to the abductions.

"I never tire of repeating that I strongly believe in the effectiveness of soft power — in humanity, empathy, and the ability to change reality for the better," Zelenska said after meeting her U.S. counterpart.

Ukraine's first lady thanked Melania Trump "for her support of Ukraine, particularly for her attention to children who have become victims of Russia’s brutal war" and for the letter sent to the Russian leader.

According to Ukraine's official Children of War database, 19,546 Ukrainian children have been confirmed to be deported or forcibly displaced to Russia, Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, or Belarus since February 2022. Only 1,605 have been brought back home.

In 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin over the abductions.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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