Envoys from the European Union, Canada and Ukraine called on the international community to address the deportation of more than 20,000 Ukrainian children by Russia. The appeal came in a joint op-ed published on Monday. They highlighted systematic violations of children's rights and the need for global cooperation.
The envoys, including EU Ambassador Ugo Astuto, Canadian Ambassador Philippe Lafortune and Ukrainian Chargé d'Affaires Andrii Vieshkin, issued the appeal through Yonhap News Agency. They noted that Ukraine's Ministry of Justice has confirmed over 20,000 cases of deportation or forced transfer to Russia or Russian-controlled territory. The practice began after the 2014 occupation of Crimea and has continued since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Tracing the children remains extremely difficult, the envoys said, because Russia has not provided relevant information. International cooperation is essential, they added, as no country can address the issue alone. The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, launched in February 2024, now includes 49 members.
A high-level meeting of the coalition was held in Brussels on May 11. More than 2,130 children have been returned so far through related efforts. A ministerial conference is scheduled for Toronto on September 28-29, co-hosted by Canada, Ukraine and Norway. South Korea has not joined the coalition.
