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US Pledges $27 Million to Track and Return Abducted Ukrainian Children
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The State Department announced on September 24 funding of $27 million dedicated to tracing, returning, and reintegrating Ukrainian children, according to Bring Kids Back.
The funding allocation was revealed during a UN General Assembly side event focused on deported and forcibly displaced Ukrainian children, as well as their militarization and indoctrination by Russia.
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Representatives from the State Department announced $12 million to support a program focused on reintegrating children brought back from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and from Russia.
Officials also noted an additional $15 million proposal submitted for review to cover identification, tracing, and repatriation efforts, with a decision expected by the end of 2026.
"Sincere gratitude to the United States for its unwavering and strong support for the return, rehabilitation, and full reintegration of Ukrainian children and youth. The $12 million program announced today for this work, along with the upcoming $15 million program for their identification and return, will help support our coordinated efforts and ensure full accountability," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
"Bring Kids Back UA sincerely thanks the United States for this support, which covers the entire cycle of assistance to children and their families, from searching for a child to their return and recovery," said Maksym Maksymov, head of Bring Kids Back UA.
Previously, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that over 2,100 Ukrainian children forcibly taken by Russia had been successfully returned as part of the "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative.
According to his statement, this figure included 150 children who had been repatriated since the beginning of 2026.
The update followed a report presented by initiative representatives Oleksandr Bevz and Maksym Maksymov, after which Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to international partners for their support, noted the recent UN classification of the forced deportations as a crime against humanity, and highlighted upcoming coalition meetings aimed at securing further returns.
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