Five children from Russia and Ukraine are about to be reunited with their loved ones under an international humanitarian initiative, Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova reported. The process is coordinated by US First Lady Melania Trump and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, praised Melania Trump for her “vital global humanitarian and peacemaking role” in helping Russian and Ukrainian children separated from their families reunite with relatives. He stated that under her coordination, 33 children have already been reunited with their families, with more reunifications planned ahead.
The White House noted this marks the fifth group of children assisted by the US first lady. “This milestone represents another step toward ensuring innocent children can safely return to their homes and communities,” a White House statement read. Melania Trump commented on the effort: “While diplomacy and peacebuilding are important, they are surpassed by our collective ability to place children above international disputes.”
Specific cases include a five-year-old boy who recently arrived in Russia to be reunited with his mother after living with his father in Ukraine until 2020. His father had passed away, and Russian authorities facilitated the reconnection. A Ukrainian woman traveled from Germany to Russia this week to reunite her daughter, who has been living with her grandmother since 2023. Three additional children are scheduled to be reunited with relatives in Ukraine and Germany.
Another six-year-old boy is set to join his Ukrainian mother, who has resided in Russia with his grandmother since 2022. A 15-year-old teen will travel from Russia to Ukraine to reunite with his mother, while a separate 15-year-old will move to Germany to live with his older sister.
All humanitarian efforts are conducted under the orders of President Vladimir Putin based on requests from parents or close relatives, with each child’s welfare prioritized. The commissioner stated: “Soon, all the children will be reunited with their loved ones.”
According to Moscow’s data, 31 children have been returned to Russia and 145 to Ukraine or other countries through this initiative.