First lady Melania Trump on Thursday said more children from Ukraine have been reunited with their families as part of her effort to reunify children separated by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Six boys and one girl have now been reunited with their families, joining eight other children who were reunited in October.
“My dedication to guaranteeing the safe return of children to their families in this region is unwavering,” Mrs. Trump said in a statement.
“I commend the leadership and persistent diplomacy of Russia and Ukraine in the pursuit of the reunification of children and families,” she said. “Their bridge-building has created a tangible collaborative environment — an anchor for optimism. This cooperation will continue to drive the process forward through the next phase.”
She said she and her representative have provided humanitarian support from the U.S. “to enhance the reunification initiative’s outcome,” adding, “My hope is that, ultimately, our collective efforts will lead to broader regional stability.”
The first lady’s appeal first came in a letter in August she wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia shattered by the war. President Trump delivered the letter to Mr. Putin while the two met in Alaska.
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Mrs. Trump said the letter led to an “open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children.”
There have been over 19,000 reports of unlawful deportations and forced transfers of Ukrainian children, according to Bring Kids Back UA, a Ukrainian humanitarian program created in 2023.
Ukrainian officials and humanitarian activists urged Congress to advance legislation that would designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism over its kidnappings of Ukrainian children.
Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the Senate would call on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to add Russia to the list of terrorist countries.
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., made the case to a Senate panel Wednesday that the bill’s passing would nudge Russia to return more children.
“The destiny of Ukrainian boys and girls abducted by Russia, unfortunately, is not an abstract issue. It is a deliberate action conducted as a regular Russian tactic of war,” she said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that held the hearing, said Russia is stonewalling this issue, even denying its existence.
An invitation was extended to the Russian ambassador, but he didn’t attend.
On Thursday, Mr. Graham celebrated the return of the seven children.
“Not only is our First Lady working to bring Ukrainian children home and removing them from Russian control, she is also highlighting the depth of this issue. Her advocacy has paid dividends,” Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, wrote on X. “I, along with many others who have been working on this problem, understand the power generated by the First Lady’s advocacy. Many experts believe over 20,000 Ukrainian children have been kidnapped by Putin’s Russia during the course of this war.”
