45 Countries Commit to Help Return Ukrainian Children Forcibly Transferred and Deported by Russia

Over 45 countries pledged to work together to repatriate Ukrainian civilians, prisoners of war, and children forcibly taken by Russia since its invasion, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said, AP reported on November 1.

The pledge was confirmed at a summit in Montreal focusing on the humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine.

“Human lives must be protected. Children, civilians, and prisoners of war must be allowed to return home,” Joly stated after the two-day summit on the war’s humanitarian issues.

According to Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha, nearly 42,000 Ukrainians are still considered missing, including around 20,000 children reportedly deported to Russia.

Ukraine already managed to return 860 children home.

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The commitment made by the assembled nations seeks to coordinate these ongoing efforts to locate missing Ukrainians and create secure pathways for their return.

Joly added that several countries, including Qatar, South Africa, and the Vatican, have agreed to serve as intermediaries in the negotiations for the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war, civilians, and children.

Lithuania and Qatar will also serve as transit points for repatriated individuals upon their release.

While the list of over 70 countries attending the summit was not disclosed, some major countries—such as China, India, and Brazil—were notably absent. However, Mexico and South Africa were in attendance.

Joly noted that many nations faced “direct pressure from Russia” to avoid the summit. “Russia made many representations in capitals worldwide, urging them not to come to Montreal,” she said. “It shows that what we’re doing is shedding light on an issue that embarrasses Russia.”

Earlier, France and Canada have committed to creating a “roadmap” with concrete steps for the return of Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken by Russia.