Moscow has announced that five children from Russia and Ukraine will be reunited with their families under an international humanitarian initiative coordinated by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova reported the process is being carried out under orders from President Vladimir Putin. According to Moscow, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, praised Melania Trump for her “vital global humanitarian and peacemaking role” in helping children separated from their families. He stated that 33 children have already been reunited with their families under her coordination, with more expected.
The White House noted this marks the fifth group of children the U.S. First Lady has helped reunite, emphasizing that “placing children above international disputes” ensures they can safely return to their homes and communities.
Details include a five-year-old boy who was reunited in Russia with his mother after living with his father in Ukraine until 2020; his father had died, and Russian authorities assisted the family. A Ukrainian woman traveled from Germany to Russia for her daughter, who has lived with her grandmother since 2023.
Three additional children are scheduled to be reunited: one in Ukraine, one in Germany, and two others. A six-year-old boy will reunite with his Ukrainian mother after living with his grandmother in Russia since 2022. A 15-year-old boy from Russia will travel to Ukraine to join his mother, while another 15-year-old will move to Germany to live with his older sister.
Lvova-Belova confirmed all efforts follow Putin’s orders and are based on requests from parents or relatives, with each child’s individual circumstances considered. “Soon, all the children will be reunited with their loved ones,” she stated. Moscow reported 31 children have been returned to Russia and 145 to Ukraine or other countries as part of this initiative.
