Seven Ukrainian Kids Reunited with Families Thanks to Melania Trumps Efforts

Russia has facilitated the return of seven Ukrainian children to their families, aided by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, as announced by the White House on Thursday.

The return process involved reuniting six boys and one girl with their families in Ukraine under Trump’s «reunification initiative.»

Maria Lvova-Belova, the Kremlin’s children’s rights commissioner, confirmed the return and expressed gratitude to the First Lady for her «steadfast dedication and engagement in this endeavor.»

In October, Trump mentioned that she had communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin through an intermediary regarding the situation of Ukrainian children taken to Russia since the onset of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

She noted that Putin had replied to a letter she sent via her husband, former President Donald Trump, during a summit with the Russian leader in Alaska in August.

Both Lvova-Belova and Putin are wanted by the International Criminal Court for allegedly unlawfully transferring Ukrainian children to Russia, an act that prosecutors categorize as a war crime. Russia, which does not acknowledge the ICC’s authority, has dismissed these allegations.

Kyiv claims that Moscow has deported over 19,000 children since the full-scale invasion began, a statement that Russia refutes. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday that only 1,850 children have been returned thus far.

On Wednesday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution, endorsed by the United States, demanding the immediate return of all Ukrainian children who were forcibly transferred.