Still, in the face of such evidence, the Russian government continues to deny even the existence of these children. They mock our allies, speaking of “European tender-hearted aunties” as though empathy were a weakness.
But empathy is a strength. And the global community isn’t willing to tolerate these crimes.
To date, through the tireless efforts of Ukraine’s government and humanitarian organizations, along with the support and facilitation of our partners, around 1,500 children have been returned and reunited with their families. We’ve heard their first-hand accounts: Forbidden from speaking their own language, faced with bullying, uncertain if they’d ever see their families again.
Their suffering strengthens our resolve. Their return remains one of the most important duties of Ukraine’s government and civil society.
The international community is now sending a united message: No more delays and no more denials. Within all relevant frameworks, Ukraine will continue to demand Russia return its children and restore their names and identities. It will spare no effort to make Russia fulfil its obligations under international law — whether the Geneva Conventions or the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Until this happens, any new sanctions should be precise, targeted and strategically damaging. The loopholes that have allowed Russia to sustain its military and war economy must be closed. Russian propaganda can’t shield those responsible from legal accountability. There will be no safe haven for war criminals.
They must recognize the truth — that only one option is available both for the sake of global order and in the interest of Russia itself: returning Ukrainian children home. Then, and only then, can we speak of a credible path to comprehensive, just and lasting peace.
