The ambassadors of the European Union, Canada, and Ukraine to the Philippines called for stronger international cooperation to protect children affected by armed conflict, as the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children convenes its next high-level meeting in Brussels on May 11.
In a joint statement, David Hartman, Yuliia Fediv, and Massimo Santoro underscored that every child has the right to safety, family, education, and a future free from fear, regardless of nationality or geography.
The statement highlighted the continuing deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014 and the escalation of the war in 2022. Ukrainian authorities have officially documented more than 20,000 cases of children allegedly deported or transferred to Russia or Russian-controlled territories, disrupting families and threatening the children’s cultural identity and connection to home.
According to the ambassadors, tracing and returning the children remains a major challenge due to limited information on their whereabouts. They stressed that no country can address the issue alone, making sustained international cooperation critical.
The initiative “Bring Kids Back UA,” launched by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023, serves as Ukraine’s national framework for returning children and supporting their rehabilitation and reintegration. Complementing this effort is the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, established by Ukraine and Canada in February 2024 to mobilize global support and coordinate humanitarian action.
The coalition now includes 49 member states and international organizations, with the European Union joining in September 2025. Its work focuses on family tracing, safe return, psychological rehabilitation, reintegration, and accountability mechanisms aimed at safeguarding children’s rights during armed conflict.
To date, more than 2,130 Ukrainian children have reportedly been returned through diplomatic, humanitarian, and legal initiatives supported by international partners.
The ambassadors also encouraged countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East to participate in the coalition either as members or observers, citing the value of shared experiences in peacebuilding, post-conflict child protection, and community reintegration.
The next High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children will be co-hosted by the European Union, Ukraine, and Canada in Brussels, where participating countries are expected to discuss additional practical measures to facilitate the safe return of displaced children.
“Protecting children must remain above geopolitical divides,” the ambassadors said, emphasizing that safeguarding children’s dignity and rights is a shared humanitarian responsibility grounded in international law.