Ukraine, partner states, and international organizations agreed on further steps of the Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, under the chairmanship of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maryana Betsa, an event titled “Between Brussels and Toronto: Ensuring the Continuity of the Work of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children” was held, organized within the framework of the President of Ukraine’s initiative Bring Kids Back UA.

The event brought together representatives of the Government of Ukraine, member states of the Coalition, international organizations, the diplomatic corps, and civil society. Participants discussed the further development of the Coalition, its strategic priorities, and joint steps for the return, protection, and reintegration of Ukrainian children affected by russia’s invasion.

During the meeting, the head of the President’s initiative Bring Kids Back UA, Maksym Maksymov, thanked the representatives of the Coalition member states for their support and highlighted the results of joint work. According to him, after the high-level Coalition meeting in Brussels, another 250 Ukrainian children were successfully returned home.

He emphasized that the next stage of the Coalition’s work should focus on locating and returning Ukrainian children, ensuring their successful reintegration, and holding accountable those involved in the illegal deportation and forced displacement of children.

In turn, First Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, Liudmyla Shemelynets, noted that return is only the first step, followed by the equally important stage of reintegration of the child.

She emphasized that currently the Ministry of Social Policy, Family, and Unity together with other agencies and the Coordination Center for the Development of Family Upbringing and Child Care, is working on a unified standard for the social service of reintegration of returned children and youth.

“The service must be available where the child actually lives, not only in central state institutions or within separate international projects. It must also take into account the specific needs of children deprived of parental care, children with disabilities, children who have experienced severe traumatic events, as well as young people up to 23 years old who may need support in education, housing, employment, healthcare, and independent living. This is precisely where the Coalition can make a significant practical contribution,” noted Liudmyla Shemelynets.

It should be recalled that the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children began its work on February 2, 2024. Within the framework of the President of Ukraine’s initiative Bring Kids Back UA, 2,383 children have already been returned home.

According to official data, another 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain under russia’s control — deported, forcibly displaced, or in temporarily occupied territory.

The next High-Level Coalition Meeting will take place in September 2026 in Toronto within the Canada-Ukraine-Norway Conference.

Following the discussion, consultations were announced on preparing the Agenda of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children for 2026–2027. The document is intended to become a joint framework for coordinating the efforts of Coalition member states, Ukrainian state institutions, and civil society to increase the effectiveness of international efforts to bring Ukrainian children home.

In May of this year, a high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was held in Brussels, preceded by the Civil Society and Expert Day in Kyiv.