The Most Painful Aspect of Russia’s War Is Kidnapped Ukrainian Children—How World Is Coming Together to Address It

The conference aims to advance the practical implementation of Point 4 of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, titled “Release of All Prisoners and Deported Persons. " This step serves as a preparatory step toward the upcoming second Summit on Peace for Ukraine.

“Ukraine did not spare a single day trying to bring peace closer. A thematic conference dedicated to one of the most sensitive issues of our Peace Formula will begin tomorrow in Canada. The Ukrainian team and many of our partners will work on the return of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia. This is one of the most painful aspects of this terrible war,” Zelenskyy wrote on his official social media account.

Conference goals

The primary goal of the conference is to establish a roadmap with practical solutions to ensure all stages of returning prisoners and deported persons: prisoners of war, civilian hostages, and deported children.

At the beginning of October, the Ukrainian Ombudsman for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, reported that Russia has illegally deported over 20,000 Ukrainian children, and warned that hundreds of thousands more children, currently in Russian-occupied territories, face the risk of deportation.

More than 14,000 Ukrainian civilians are currently being held in Russian detention facilities, according to estimates from the International Society for Human Rights. During a press conference on September 30, the organization called for increased attention to be given to these detainees.

The conference will also focus aims on increasing pressure on the Russian Federation to make it comply with international law and the Geneva Conventions.

Conference focus areas

Upcoming discussions will explore such areas as:

• Access to Comprehensive Information: the whereabouts, health status, and legal status of prisoners of war, detained civilians, and deported children;

• Ensuring Humane Treatment: Developing concrete steps to end torture, cruel treatment, and forced relocations and deportations, as well as ensuring regular access for international organizations to detention sites and deported children in Russia;

• Mechanisms for Return: Providing consular services and establishing mechanisms to facilitate the return of individuals in both Ukraine and transit countries;

• Work on coordinated information campaigns to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to uphold international law;

• Strengthen coordination on reintegration, rehabilitation, and mental health support for individuals returning to Ukraine.

What is Ukraine’s Peace Formula?

Ukraine’s Peace Formula is designed to establish a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine. It consists of ten fundamental points, the implementation of which will not only ensure peace for Ukraine but also create mechanisms to prevent future conflicts globally.

The Peace Formula was presented by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on November 15, 2022, during the G20 Summit in Indonesia.

The philosophy of the Peace Formula is based on the core principles of the UN Charter and international law.

Bring Kids Back UA

Bring Kids Back UA is an initiative by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aimed at uniting the efforts of all Ukrainian government bodies, other countries, and international and non-governmental organizations to return all Ukrainian children deported and forcibly transferred by Russia.

Bring Kids Back UA focuses on:

• The search, return and reintegration of children into society and communities;

• Developing family-based care and arranging for the returned children to be placed with families;

• Documenting crimes and holding Russia accountable;

• International advocacy to draw attention to the scale of the issue, including through interparliamentary cooperation.

Follow us for updates on the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, that will take place on October 30-31 in Montreal.