Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly the submission of a resolution condemning Russia's abduction and deportation of children. A pilot mechanism for searching and verifying data on illegally displaced children has also been launched with the support of several states. Austria, Latvia, and Estonia are joining the efforts to return them. This was reported by Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, according to UNN.
Details
On Tuesday, September 23, Andriy Yermak published the results of the work of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children on his Telegram channel.
According to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, specifically:
1. The President of Ukraine announced the submission of a draft resolution during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly condemning the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children.
"This is an important step that will help strengthen international pressure on Russia and further consolidate the world around the protection of Ukrainian children," the post reads.
2. A pilot mechanism for searching, analyzing, and verifying data on children illegally deported or forcibly displaced by Russia is being launched.
"Despite the obstacles created by Russia, this initiative will help establish the whereabouts of children, verify information, and increase legal and political pressure on the aggressor. We are grateful to the United Kingdom, Canada, Estonia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden for their participation in this work," Yermak wrote on his Telegram channel.
3. International cooperation for the return of Ukrainian children has been strengthened.
"Austria will join mediation efforts, and Latvia and Estonia have expressed their readiness to support return efforts with practical steps," added the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
4. Programs for the recovery, reintegration, and rehabilitation of children under the patronage of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska will be scaled up. Programs for social housing and supported living for rescued youth, assistance to large foster families, and the organization of psychosocial support for children and adolescents were presented.
5. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the Coalition has been expanded - Andorra and the European Union have joined it.
"We would like to specifically thank Prime Minister Mark Carney for Canada's leadership in the Coalition's work and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the initiative to hold the next Summit and expand the European Union's participation. Today's meeting confirmed: the return of Ukrainian children is a global challenge and priority. We are working together with partners and will continue this work until every Ukrainian child returns home," Andriy Yermak summarized.
Recall
In 2025, Ukraine will present a resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of children, and will launch a mechanism for tracking Ukrainian children to collect all data on their displacement to Russia. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his speech at the meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.