Efforts to Return Ukrainian Children Discussed with U.S. Senators

A meeting took place at the Child Rights Protection Center in Kyiv involving key officials from Ukraine and the United States. The discussion centered on the efforts made by Ukraine to bring back Ukrainian children from the Russian Federation under the Bring Kids Back UA Initiative. Present at the meeting were Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, Dariia Zarivna from Bring Kids Back UA, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Ukraine Julie Davis.

During the meeting, the U.S. delegation was briefed on the current situation regarding the return of Ukrainian children who were illegally deported or forcibly transferred to Russia. The focus was on the mechanisms in place for bringing these children back, including diplomatic mediation by third countries and rescue missions organized by the state in collaboration with civil society and volunteer organizations.

Dariia Zarivna highlighted the importance of expanding the circle of mediators and emphasized Ukraine’s readiness to support large-scale returns if Russia cooperates. Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Lubinets described the deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children as a crime of genocide, expressing concerns about Russia changing children’s documents and militarizing their education to serve the Russian army.

The meeting also explored the possibility of integrating the issue of returning Ukrainian children into future peace processes and maintaining sanctions pressure on Russia. The officials underscored the need for a strong international response to address the challenges faced by Ukrainian children in the Russian Federation.