Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday handed Donald Trump a letter from his wife, Olena Zelenska, thanking Melania Trump for drawing attention to the plight of thousands of Ukrainian children taken to Russia since the 2022 invasion.
The exchange came after Melania Trump wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging him to consider the children, saying their return would “serve humanity.”
Ukraine says about 19,500 children have been abducted, with 1,500 returned. The International Criminal Court last year issued an arrest warrant for Putin over the alleged deportations, which Moscow denies.
Zelensky praised Melania Trump’s “compassion” and said her advocacy gives strength to the cause. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later said every abducted child must be returned, thanking Trump for his commitment to the issue.
The return of children remains central to Ukraine’s negotiating position in efforts to end the war.
