Melania Trump Announces Reunified Ukrainian Children Following dialog with Putin
WASHINGTON D.C. – First Lady Melania trump announced Friday that Ukrainian children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war have been reunited with thier families following what she described as an ”open channel of communication” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Mrs. Trump stated that eight children have been rejoined with their families in the past 24 hours. Three of these children had been separated from their families and displaced too Russia due to fighting along the front lines, while another young girl has been returned from Ukraine to Russia.
The First lady’s announcement comes after she personally delivered a “peace letter” to Putin during his visit to Alaska in August.President Donald trump previously shared portions of the letter on social media, in which Mrs. Trump pleaded with Putin to protect children, writing that doing so “will do more than serve Russia alone” and “will serve humanity itself.”
“Each child has lived in turmoil because of the war in Ukraine,” Mrs. Trump said during a press briefing at the White House,flanked by American flags.She confirmed the U.S.government had “confirmed the facts” surrounding the reunifications and that she received a detailed report, including photographs and information about each child’s circumstances, facilitated by both Ukraine and russia.
Mrs. Trump stated Putin responded to her letter in writing. She reiterated the sentiment expressed in her original letter: “Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart… They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.”
This advancement builds on Mrs. Trump’s ongoing advocacy for children, including her BE BEST initiative launched in January 2021, focused on child well-being globally. She recently championed the Take It Down Act, a bill banning revenge porn, which she called “a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children.”
However, the situation remains dire for many Ukrainian children. According to the ukrainian government, at least 19,500 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly displaced to Russia and Russian-occupied territories since February 2022, with only 1,605 having returned home as of the government’s Children of War database.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for President Putin and his Children’s Rights Commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the alleged unlawful deportation of children. Russia denies these accusations, claiming it has acted to protect children by moving them from the war zone.
