Ukraine welcomed the adoption of the UN resolution "Return of Ukrainian children"

91 countries voted in favor of the resolution. The aggressor state, Russia, and 11 other countries have indicated that they currently oppose the return of Ukrainian children.

This decision is a powerful signal of international solidarity and recognition that the forced deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation are gross violations of international humanitarian and international child protection law.

The voting results convincingly demonstrated: the world community condemns the practices of the Russian Federation, which include the illegal removal of children, changing their status and personal data, adoption by Russian families, programs of ideological influence and militarization.

To date, only 1,850 children have been returned home — often after months of multi-level searches and complex rescue operations. That is why international support and pressure on Russia are critically important.

The UN General Assembly demands that the Russian Federation immediately, safely and unconditionally return all Ukrainian children, and cease all practices of deportation, forced displacement, separation from parents or guardians, alteration of personal data, illegal adoption and ideological indoctrination.

The adopted resolution also provides the UN Secretary-General with a comprehensive mandate:

• coordinate the work of all relevant UN structures for its implementation,

• to cooperate with the Russian Federation to obtain complete information about the location, health status, legal status and conditions of stay of Ukrainian children and to ensure their return,

• to seek unhindered access for the UN and international humanitarian and monitoring organizations to their places of detention,

• regularly inform Member States about progress in implementing these tasks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine highly appreciates the important role of Member States, international organizations, and the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, who work tirelessly to ensure that every child can return home, undergo rehabilitation, and integrate into a safe environment.

Ukraine will continue to work closely with international partners to ensure that every illegally removed child is found, protected, and returned to their families. This is not only a humanitarian obligation — it is a matter of justice, responsibility, and adherence to fundamental principles of international law.

Another initiative of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has consistently placed the issue of the return of all Ukrainian children at the center of the international agenda, in particular within the framework of the Ukraine Peace Formula, has been implemented. It is this attention that has contributed to the formation of broad international support for the resolution.

Of the 193 UN members, 92 countries voted "in favor" (initially 91, later joined by Costa Rica), 12 voted "against," and 57 abstained.

To learn more about Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, watch the documentary "Damaged Childhood," created by Ukrainian independent media and video production company Online.UA: