First Lady Melania Trump has facilitated the reunification of children separated from their families in war between Russia and Ukraine. The event is the fourth instance in which Mrs. Trump has led such efforts.
In the latest reunification, six Ukrainian children in Russia were returned to their homeland. A seventh Ukrainian child will be brought home later this month.
“Reunifying children with their loved ones in this region of the world remains one of the most important global issues today,” the first lady said in a statement. “I am encouraged that both sides remain committed to ongoing cooperation, raising the safety and well-being of children above this abhorrent war.”
The event comes as the United States announced last week that it will provide $25 million in an effort to reunite children with their families. “In coordination with Congress, the Department of State is providing $25 million in new assistance to support the identification, return, and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children and youth who have been forcibly transferred or otherwise held away from their families and communities,” the State Department said in a media note.
“President Trump has made clear that tragic bloodshed in Ukraine must stop, and his Administration remains fully committed to securing a lasting peace,” the statement added. “Dozens of U.S. funded assistance programs continue to provide critical life-saving assistance for civilians affected by the violence — including these children, who are among the most vulnerable victims of this brutal and senseless war, which never would have started had President Trump been in office.”
According to the Ukrainian initiative Bring Kids Back UA, more than 2,000 children have already been returned to their families. More than 20,000 other cases are being processed.
