Zelenskyy says Ukraine to push for UN resolution on 'abduction and deportation’ of children

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Kyiv will introduce a resolution at the UN General Assembly condemning the "abduction and deportation" of children.

Zelenskyy thanked Canada and the European Commission for their leadership on the initiative and noted that more than 30 delegations joined the meeting as he addressed a leaders’ level summit of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children in New York.

He announced the next summit of the coalition would be held in Brussels under the co-leadership of Ukraine and the EU, and he hopes the format will "bring progress in solving this very, very sensitive issue -- the fate of Ukrainian children."

Zelenskyy said 1,625 children have been returned to Ukraine, thanks to the Bring Kids Back UA program, which the Ukrainian president initiated in 2023, with the support of Kyiv's partners.

"Each return is a success – a child saved, but also a challenge, because the child must be reintegrated and protected from the trauma they went through," he said.

He expressed hope that the results of the meeting support initiatives to "find, return, and reintegrate" Ukrainian children.

"We must turn attention into action. We need your support and the support of partners in the General Assembly. And this year, we’ll introduce a resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of children," Zelenskyy added.

Kyiv has accused Russia of "abducting" tens of thousands of Ukrainian children since the start of the Ukraine war in early 2022. Moscow has denied the claims, saying children were evacuated from conflict zones for their safety.