Overview
- The White House said First Lady Melania Trump mediated an agreement between Russia and Ukraine that will send six Ukrainian minors back to their families, with a seventh to follow later this month.
- Officials described this as her fourth such effort, and she said reuniting children with relatives is a key humanitarian priority.
- Ukrainian reporting noted help from 38 countries and European institutions, and said U.S. officials discussed a $25 million program in March to speed family reunifications.
- Ukraine’s ombudsman said seven more teenagers were brought back from occupied areas in a separate effort and he thanked the First Lady for supporting Ukraine’s child return work.
- Ukrainian authorities say more than 20,000 children were taken to Russia or occupied territory, and the International Criminal Court has warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova over alleged unlawful transfers.