US First Lady Melania Trump said on Friday (October 10) that she had been in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin about repatriating Ukrainian children trapped in the war with Russia, confirming that some had been returned to their families and more would be reunited soon.
“This remains an ongoing effort,” Melania told reporters at the White House. She said Russian President Putin responded to her letter earlier this year, and they remain in touch.
President Trump, who has long touted a strong relationship with Putin and invited him to a summit in Anchorage, Alaska, in August, has expressed frustration with the Russian leader in recent weeks for not ending the war with Ukraine, which Trump promised to do within a day during the election campaign.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has accused Russia of abducting thousands of children from Russia or Russian-occupied territory without the consent of their families or guardians, calling it a war crime. An investigation by the UN Human Rights Council has said the incident could meet the definition of genocide. Moscow has previously said it is protecting vulnerable children from the war zone, according to Reuters.
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Melania said Friday that her representatives are working directly with Putin’s team to ensure the safe reunification of children between Russia and Ukraine with their families. According to the First Lady, eight children have been returned to their families within the last 24 hours.
“Russia continues to cooperate with the United States in various areas, including humanitarian ones. We appreciate Melania Trump’s humanitarian leadership,” said Russia’s presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who was involved in discussions.
Reuters’s reporting contributed to this article.