Demand Immediate Return of Ukraine’s Abducted Children in All Peace Negotiations

Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government has orchestrated the forced transfer and abduction of more than 35,000 Ukrainian children, with nearly 20,000 still missing and unreturned. These children, some as young as four months old, have been subjected to political indoctrination, military training, and forced assimilation into Russian society. Many have had their identities erased through illegal adoption and falsified birth certificates, while being denied contact with their families and subjected to abuse and neglect.

These actions constitute grave violations of international law, including the Geneva Convention and statutes against crimes against humanity. The forced deportation and assimilation of children is not an unfortunate byproduct of war—it is a deliberate act of injustice that must be condemned and reversed.

As Donald Trump prepares to meet with Vladimir Putin, and as Congress considers bipartisan resolutions, we call on all parties to make the unconditional return of Ukraine’s abducted children a central, nonnegotiable demand in any peace negotiations. Children must never be used as bargaining chips in geopolitical struggles. Their safety, dignity, and right to family reunification must be upheld without exception.

We urge U.S. leaders and the international community to stand firm for justice and human rights, ensuring that no peace agreement is finalized until every abducted Ukrainian child is safely returned home.