HIGH-LEVEL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION FOR THE RETURN OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

HIGH-LEVEL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION FOR THE RETURN OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

Every child has the right to live safely at home

In times of conflict, and in times of peace, the rights of children must remain among any nation's foremost responsibilities. Regardless of nationality, politics, or geography, every child has the same fundamental rights: to safety, to family, to education, and to a future free from fear. When children become victims of war, protecting them is not only a national responsibility, but also a shared duty of the entire international community.

Every child has the right to live safely at home

In times of conflict, and in times of peace, the rights of children must remain among any nation's foremost responsibilities. Regardless of nationality, politics, or geography, every child has the same fundamental rights: to safety, to family, to education, and to a future free from fear. When children become victims of war, protecting them is not only a national responsibility, but also a shared duty of the entire international community.

The unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children did not begin with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. This practice began years earlier, following the illegal occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014. By 2015, there was evidence of Ukrainian children being taken from the non-government-controlled areas of Ukraine and deported across borders or transferred deeper into Russian-controlled areas.

This unlawful and inhumane practice has grown into a large-scale and systematic violation of the rights of Ukrainian children. Today, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has officially confirmed more than 20,000 cases of deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia or temporarily Russian-controlled territory. For these children, the disruption has meant not only displacement, but separation from family, loss of community, and an attack on their identity, language, and connection to home. Their situation reminds us that protecting children in conflict is not an abstract principle, it is a human responsibility that requires sustained international cooperation.

Ukrainian authorities and civil society organisations working on these cases face enormous challenges in tracing where children have been taken. Russia has not provided comprehensive information about the number of deported or transferred children or their locations, making identifying and ultimately returning those children extremely difficult. Even when children are located, bringing them home can be a long and complex process.

This is why international cooperation is essential. No country facing such a challenge could address it alone. And no child should have to wait for the world to act.

This is the purpose behind the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, launched by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in 2023, and the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, launched by Ukraine and Canada in February 2024. Bring Kids Back UA provides the national framework for Ukraine's efforts to return children, support their recovery and reintegration, and pursue accountability. The International Coalition mobilizes international support for those objectives and helps translate political commitment into coordinated action. Today, the Coalition brings together 49 members, including states and international organisations. Its focus is humanitarian: protecting children's rights and ensuring international standards safeguarding children are upheld.

As co-chairs, Ukraine and Canada have worked hand-in-hand to build and sustain the Coalition, expand international participation, keep the return of Ukrainian children high on the global agenda, and encourage practical support for tracing, safe return, rehabilitation, reintegration, and accountability. This leadership reflects a simple conviction: children must never be used as instruments of war. The EU became a Coalition member in September 2025.

Through sustained diplomatic, humanitarian and, legal efforts and international cooperation, more than 2,130 Ukrainian children have been returned and supported through rehabilitation and reintegration programmes to date. For every child, returning home represents the restoration of something irreplaceable - the embrace of family, the familiarity of language and culture, and the chance to grow up in the place where they belong.

But these are only some of the stories. Many more children remain under Russian control - deported or trapped in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Addressing this challenge requires a truly global response. Protecting children in conflict is not the responsibility of one actor alone; it is a shared duty rooted in universal human rights and our shared values.

For this reason, we encourage countries around the world to engage with the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, whether as members or as observers. We also recognise that many nations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East bring invaluable experience on this issue. From peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts to post-conflict child protection and reintegration programmes, many countries have demonstrated leadership over time in protecting vulnerable children and rebuilding communities.

The Coalition is not only a platform for supporting the return of Ukrainian children; it is also a space for exchanging insights and strengthening global approaches to child protection in conflict. Countries that join the Coalition can share their perspectives and lessons learned from their own experiences. While the conflict in Ukraine is our starting point, the goal is broader: to strengthen international practices so that children are better protected in every conflict.

Participation also creates opportunities to work together on legal and institutional frameworks that safeguard children. Across the world, governments have developed approaches to family tracing, return, psychological rehabilitation, and preservation of children's cultural identity following displacement. By bringing these experiences together, the Coalition aims to strengthen international norms and practical mechanisms that help ensure children's rights are respected in every conflict.

The Coalition continues to expand this collaboration. The next High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children - co-hosted by the EU, Ukraine and Canada - will take place on 11 May 2026, in Brussels, bringing partners together to review our progress and identify further practical steps to help return children to their families and communities.

Ultimately, protecting children must remain above geopolitical divides. It is a shared humanitarian imperative, grounded in international law and the recognition that every child deserves safety, dignity, and care.

We invite partners from across the world to join this effort and share their diverse voices, unique experiences, and invaluable leadership - all of which are essential in ensuring the protection of children remains a universal priority. By working together, across regions, cultures, and political perspectives, we can restore childhoods disrupted by conflict and strengthen the global framework that protects children everywhere. Because when it comes to the rights and dignity of children, our shared humanity must always come first.

H.E. David Hartman, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines

H.E. Yuliia Fediv, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Philippines

H.E. Massimo Santoro, Ambassador of the European Union to the Philippines