The EU is preparing in Brussels the meeting for the return of Ukrainian children deported by Russia.

The European Union, Ukraine, and Canada will co-host a high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children on May 11 in Brussels, aimed at supporting the identification, return, and reintegration of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred by Russia and to intensify accountability for those responsible. In brief The high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children will take place on May 11 in Brussels. On the EU side, the meeting will be co-hosted by Kaja Kallas and Marta Kos, alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. Participants will discuss supporting Ukraine in identifying, returning, and reintegrating children, as well as measures for holding Russia accountable. Partners will also analyze ways to intensify coordinated sanctions against those responsible for these crimes. According to Ukrainian authorities, over 20,000 Ukrainian children have been illegally deported and forcibly transferred to Russia and to temporarily occupied territories since the beginning of the large-scale invasion. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union will co-host, together with Ukraine and Canada, a high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children on May 11 in Brussels. According to the Commission, the meeting aims to support Ukraine's efforts to identify, bring home, and reintegrate Ukrainian children forcibly transferred by Russia, as well as to ensure accountability for the crimes committed. On the European Union side, the meeting will be co-hosted by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, Kaja Kallas, and the Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. They will be joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. The Commission specifies that participants will discuss ways to support Ukraine's work in identifying, returning, and reintegrating children, alongside holding Russia accountable for these actions. The agenda of the meeting also includes ways to intensify coordinated sanctions against those responsible for these crimes. In parallel, partners will also discuss recommendations prepared by civil society and the expert community during the Civil Society Expert Day, which will take place in Kyiv on April 30. In a statement included in the Commission's press release, Ursula von der Leyen linked the meeting to the theme of justice and the return of every child. "Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has cost more than territories and lives; it has stolen childhoods. Over 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly taken from their families, from their homes. On May 11, together with Ukraine and Canada, we will bring the world together to demand justice. We will work together to find every child, to bring them back home, and to ensure that those responsible face consequences. These children are the future of Ukraine, and we will not stop until every child is returned," said the President of the European Commission. According to Ukrainian authorities, over 20,000 Ukrainian children have been illegally deported and forcibly transferred to Russia and to temporarily occupied territories since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion. The Commission states that this situation, combined with Russia's systematic efforts to hide their identity and whereabouts, necessitates sustained international support. The institution also emphasizes that it is essential for the perpetrators of these serious violations of international humanitarian law to be held accountable. The meeting in Brussels was initially announced by Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union address in 2025. According to the Commission, the meeting has a clear mission to bring home all Ukrainian children illegally taken by Russia, to help them reintegrate into their families, culture, and society, and to ensure accountability for Russia's actions. The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was launched in Kyiv in February 2024 and is co-chaired by Ukraine and Canada, with the European Union becoming a full member in September 2025. The Coalition brings together 47 states and international organizations and serves as a platform for coordinating the diplomatic, humanitarian, legal, and informational efforts of governments working together with Ukraine to address the issue of child deportation.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/ue-pregateste-la-bruxelles-reuniunea-pentru-returnarea-copiilor-ucraineni-deportati-de-rusia