Washington, October 12: Eight Ukrainian children who had been seized by Russian forces were reunited with their families over the past 24 hours, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump said on Friday, following diplomatic efforts involving her and President Donald Trump.
In August, Melania Trump wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the children, who had been taken by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine, allegedly to be raised as Russian citizens. The letter was hand-delivered by Donald Trump during his meeting with Putin in Alaska.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, the First Lady said Putin responded to her letter and that an “open channel of communication” had since been established to address the welfare of the children. “We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war,” she said.
The children’s abductions were documented by the Associated Press in 2022, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, citing personal responsibility for war crimes linked to the abductions. Donald Trump has recently voiced frustration over the ongoing war in Ukraine, which he had promised during his presidential campaign to resolve quickly.
