Restoring Childhood and Humanity: Advancing Peace in Ukraine Through the Return of Ukrainian Children Side Events Date: 23 September 2025 Language: English Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/asset/k1e/k1ea5i39hw Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations. --- Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [0:02]: Your Majesties, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, my name is Bob Rae, I'm the Canadian Permanent Representative, and it is my very great pleasure to welcome you to this high-level meeting, Restoring Childhood and Humanity, Advancing Peace in Ukraine through the Return of Ukrainian Children. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, have convened this meeting as co-chairs of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. This meeting is an opportunity for all of us members of this coalition and for other guests to exchange and explore the very specific ways that we can work to returning Ukrainian children and restoring their rights, their safety, and their dignity. I now have the honour to turn to His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, for some opening remarks. Mr. President, you have the floor. Thank you so much. Ukraine · President · Volodymyr Zelenskyy [1:11]: Thank you very much. Dear friends, dear Mark, Prime Minister of Canada, Madam First Lady of Canada, Olena, all the leaders, all the representatives, excellencies, our friends, your majesties, thank you for bringing the Coalition for the Return of Children to the level of leaders work. And this is a very good sign. And thank you, thanks Canada, thank you Mark for your strong leadership. More than 40 delegations are here with us now taking part in the coalition. And thank you all, this is truly important. Today we are in New York and on the global stage, the next such summit we expect to hold in Brussels under the co-leadership of Ukraine and the European Commission. Thank you, Ursula. And hope hope this format will bring progress in solving this very, very sensitive issue, the fate of Ukrainian children. Thousands and thousands of our children are victims of Russia's double crime. Russia first abducted them and deported them, and now it tries to steal everything they have inside, their culture, their character, their bond with family and their identity. Maybe not everyone here is a parent, but everyone knows how quickly children grow, how precious every moment is, how fragile their first steps in life can be. And so one of the greatest things adults can do is to give a child a normal childhood. And one of the lowest crimes imaginable is to replace childhood with war and its cruelty. For years, we have been fighting to bring our children home, and we need real results, real, which means the actual return of all the abducted Ukrainian children. It is fair and symbolic that the first crime Putin has been charged with is his crime against children. And I thank every country that enforced the ICC warrant for Putin and others guilty of abducting children. This matters, and it must not be forgiven. Thanks to our Bring Kids Back UA initiative and the support of partners, 1,625 children have already been returned to Ukraine. Each return is a success, a child saved, but also a challenge because the child must be reintegrated and protected from the trauma they went through. The First Lady of Ukraine contributes to the reintegration projects for such children, and today you will hear from Olena about this work. Please join these projects. And we are also starting tracing mechanism to collect all data about our displaced children in Russia and in occupied territories. Russia hides the truth, so this work is crucial. It means financing, searching, verifying information, and making sure those responsible are held accountable. And I urge you please in every sanctions package increase the pressure on those Russian politicians, officials, judges, propagandists, and others involved in child abductions and their attempt to reprogram their minds. All this, as known, the camps where abducted children are taught hatred, the institutions involved, even the structures of Russia's state church used to erase children's Ukrainian identity. And everyone who does not close their eyes and acts in response defends humanity. Everyone in Russia who is involved in child abduction, reeducation, and abuse will be sanctioned. Sanctions packages are never easy, but adding those guilty of crimes against children makes this war stronger and gives it moral force. Dear friends, in Turkey, we gave Russia's representatives An initial list of 349 children, clear data, just a small, small part of the thousands we must save. So far, Russia has done almost nothing, not even given real information about these children. They refuse to give real information, neither to us nor to international organizations. Please, Let the result of this coalition meeting be support of initiatives to find, return, and reintegrate our children and real pressure on Russia through sanctions. We must turn attention into action. We need your support and support of partners in the General Assembly. And this year, we'll introduce a resolution condemning the abduction and deportation of children. Forcibly taking children from one nation and trying to re-educate them for the benefit of another is an obvious crime. The UN must say this clearly once again. So the crime must be stopped, the felons must be held accountable, Ukrainian children must be brought home. Thank you to all the countries standing with us, with our families. with Ukrainians, with our Ukrainian children. Slava Ukraini. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [8:07]: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I now have the honour to turn to the Right Honourable Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada. Prime Minister, the floor is yours. Canada · Prime Minister · Mark Carney [8:16]: Thank you, Chair. Mr. President, dear Volodymyr, Madam First Lady, dear Olena, Diana, friends, it's an honor to be here. It's a tragedy that we must gather together, and it's a tragedy that we're all committed to reverse. You know, Mr. President, when I joined you a few weeks ago on Independence Day in Sofia Square, I emphasized that your struggle is our struggle, your cause, your cause of freedom, democracy, sovereignty, And the human rights and dignity of every person, particularly children, is our cause, the cause of the 42 nations and more organizations gathered here today. I want to be clear at the outset of who's responsible for these horrors. Putin has caused this terrible tragedy that has claimed in the war lives of millions. He menaces the skies, of Ukraine threatens the cities, destroys the field. Putin has stolen Ukrainian children. Thousands of children have been abducted by Russia. Russia has repeatedly targeted the most vulnerable groups of children, including orphans, children with disabilities, children from poor families. Russian soldiers have entered classrooms and forcibly rounded up children, taking them to Russian schools and orphanages. To lose a child is every parent's nightmare. For the people of Ukraine, it's a horrifying reality. They bombed cities and children in Ukraine. They bombed Mariupol. Russian soldiers announced evacuations and brought civilians and children to occupied cities by, cities occupied by Russia. Office has reported on these tactics, the tactics including to indoctrinate Ukrainian children. Children are being falsely labeled with Russian citizenship and passports. A decree to fast-track citizenship, the citizenship process for abducted children, has been signed by Putin himself. In the Russian school system, abducted Ukrainian children are exposed to war propaganda and given military patriotic training. Secondary schools are required to send lists of students aged 18 or older for conscription in the Russian armed forces. Each of these inhumane acts are violations of international law. And the 42 members of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children are united in our mission. We're committed to the safe return of Ukrainian children, that this must be part of any negotiated settlement. As you mentioned, Mr. President, the coalition has provided Russia and Turkey with an initial list of 339 children to be brought home today. But this is just the beginning. There are thousands more children who have been illegally abducted, who have endured these horrors, who must return home. And as co-chair, Canada will intensify our work with Ukraine, with our European partners and the United States, to secure the immediate, unconditional return of Ukrainian children. We're investing millions in a HALAS system to support the use of AI in locating and identifying Ukrainian children who've been unlawfully deported. We welcome the recent powerful appeal to President Putin by the First Lady of the United States to consider the plight of children in ending this war. You know, decades ago, a U.S. president led a peace effort with Russia through nuclear disarmament and adopted the slogan Reagan adopted the slogan trust but verify. It couldn't be more different. Vladimir Putin and Mikhail Gorbachev. When peace comes, we can't trust but verify. We must deter and fortify. We must start to drive that peace with the sanctions you mentioned. Canada has sanctioned over 300 enablers of the Russian regime, over 3000 individuals. We stand ready to reinforce those sanctions further with our European partners. And I welcome the President of the United States' call today, repeated today, for secondary sanctions on Russia. Russia must be deterred, I'll finish with this, from ever thinking that they can threaten Ukraine's or Europe's freedom again. We have to fortify Ukraine's forces that have fought so valiantly and for so long. And by marshaling the strength of the coalition of the willing, President Stubb, I salute your leadership in that. Dear Alex, we can help secure a durable peace. But that peace is only truly peace with the reunification of children with their family, with their homeland. And we will not rest until that happens. Slava Ukraini. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [13:49]: Thank you, Prime Minister. And now, it's my great honor to introduce two special guests to share some words. First, I'd like to give the floor to Olena Zelenska, who is the First Lady of Ukraine. First Lady, you have the floor. Ukraine · First Lady · Olena Zelenska [14:03]: Thank you so much. Distinguished attendees, leaders of representative members of states of the international coalition, members of royal families, your majesties, first ladies and gentlemen, and honored guests. Obviously, I wish to speak today about painful truths. Around the world, we say that children are our most precious treasure. We cite the Convention on the Rights of the Child and many international agreements meant to protect them. Yet too often children become the very first victims. They felt they are left unprotected. There is a saying, one crime is a tragedy, many crimes are statistics. If one child were abducted, we would be outraged and demand justice. But what if an entire state using its institutions and army abducts not one but thousands of children? We cannot allow such crimes to become statistics. That is exactly what Russia is doing in Ukraine. When Russian forces occupied Kherson, Caregivers hid 48 children in a church basement. Among them was 10-month-old then Margarita Prokopenco. Later, while treated from bronchitis in the hospital, she was seized by Russian officials during so-called inspections. She was taken to Moscow, illegally adopted by a Russian official, a close ally to Putin, and issued a false birth certificate with a new name, Marina Mironova, and a new birthplace, Russia, her identity erased. Of those 48 children, only seven have been returned. The rest remain in Russia. In other case, Alexander and Christina, a brother and sister, were taken from their foster family also in Kherson. They were separated and placed with different Russian families. Alexander's Ukrainian passport was confiscated, preventing him from returning to Ukraine. In January 2024, he took his own life. He was buried in Russia without Ukraine being informed. His sister remains there and we still have no contact with her. There are not relocations and evacuations. These children are victims of repression. Their identities are changed, their ties severed, their hopes destroyed. Ukraine cannot bring them all back alone. Russia refuses to provide information even to international organizations and ignores the Geneva Conventions. That is why Ukraine, together with partners, created the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. I'm grateful to Canada, to the United States, and to all who joined from the start. Today, the coalition includes 41 countries and the Council of Europe. Through these joint efforts, 1,625 children have been returned. Behind every name are months of searching, negotiation, and risk. But at this place, it would take 50 years to return them all, an entire lifetime, and these children cannot wait a lifetime. That is why the world that gives us hope is together. To avoid spending an entire lifetime and the lives of children, we need the whole international community and political influence. This is precisely what the presidents of our countries are working on. So what can we do, the first ladies, gentlemen, and civil society representatives, again, together? We can help these children reclaim their childhood and rebuild their lives. Many return without homes, parents, or security. Most suffer psychological trauma and require support. That is why my colleagues and I are working in these three areas. First area is family and shelter. It is crucial for a child to return to their biological family or find a new foster family. And through the Room for Childhood project, my foundation, for example, builds homes for foster families. provides transport and ensures humanitarian aid so children can grow up in warmth and care. The second point is reintegration and healing. We organize psychological rehabilitation camps, cultural and educational exchanges, provide psychological assistance, giving children the chance to feel safe, to smile and to dream again. Independent living. Many abducted children are now young adults without homes or families. Ukraine is creating social apartments and supported housing for them to help them study, work and build new lives through several state projects. Once more, distinguished guests, returning Ukrainian children is not a political matter. It is a test of our humanity. It is a humanitarian call. When it comes to humanity, neutrality is impossible, I'm sure. I urge you to join us. Every country, every institution, every family can be part of this process, helping children to come home and to feel at home. I dream of the day when you can meet these children in their families, in their communities. And I know some of them personally. Their resilience and courage are extraordinary. greater than many adults could show. And despite all they have endured, they still believe in the world, in the future, and in us adults. And we must finally live up to their trust and their hopes because they are the future of our world. It's simple, but that's true. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [21:02]: I'd like to thank the First Lady very much and now turn to Diana Fox Carney, who is the spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada. Thank you. Canada · Spouse of Prime Minister · Diana Fox Carney [21:22]: Good afternoon. Sorry. It's a great honor to be with you today. Canada has proudly stood with Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's illegal invasion. Our country is home to 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent. Canada and Ukraine are deeply connected. As my husband said in Sofia Square on Ukrainian Independence Day, your fight is our fight, your struggle is our cause, and your independence will be our victory. Canada will always stand in solidarity with Ukraine. As we have heard, in this war, Putin has targeted some of the most vulnerable populations. It is incomprehensible what the thousands of abducted Ukrainian children and their families are living through. As a mother, I simply cannot fathom the horror. What these children have endured is more than unjust, it is inhumane. I want to share with you the story of Ilya. At age nine, in the Russian shelling of Mariupol, Ilya saw his home destroyed and his mother killed before his eyes. He suffered injuries from the attack, and Russian soldiers took him to the Russian-occupied Donetsk. Doctors performed an operation to remove a fragment from his leg with no anesthesia. Ilya describes these doctors trying to turn him into a propaganda tool, telling him he must no longer say glory to Ukraine, but instead glory to Ukraine as part of Russia. No one in Ilya's family knew where he was. He was nine years old, alone. Ilya's grandmother learned of his location only because she saw him in a Russian Federation video of the hospital. With her relentless determination, she secured his return. But the suffering that he endured cannot be undone. As his grandmother describes, he had a school, he had a home, he had a mother, and he lost all of that, his entire childhood. His story is the cost of this war. And tragically, as we have heard, his story is not unique. It is the story of thousands of Ukrainian children. It is what brings us here today. This is the tragedy and the mission that unites us all. I too would like to commend First Lady Melania Trump for addressing the return of Ukrainian children directly to Vladimir Putin in a letter hand-delivered by President Trump. Putin must understand that we know of his barbaric campaign of abducting children to indoctrinate them. forcing them into Russian schools where they must undergo military training, subjecting them to war propaganda, and attempting to erase their Ukrainian identity by forcing them to take Russian citizenship. They are not Russians. They are proud Ukrainian children, children who must be reunited with their families. For Canada, true peace requires security guarantees for Ukraine. and there is no peace without the return of these children. We will never erase the pain they have faced, but we can bring them home. Together with our allies, Canada will never relent from this mission until it is complete. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [25:16]: Thank you very much, Madam Carney. We're now going to hear statements from heads of delegation in accordance with the list of speakers. This is when I cease being popular in presenting the president, my prime minister, and the first ladies. Now I have to play the bit of a heavy and say that it's two minutes. And a light will start to flash when the minutes are up. So we will not be preventing people from speaking at all. We're trying to bring as many people in as possible. And in order to move things along, I'm going to stop talking. You will see a red light flash on your microphone. We really are overwhelmed by the number of people who've asked to speak. And as we always do at the United Nations, we have a limited amount of time. So I now give the floor to the representative of the Kingdom of Belgium. Queen Mathilde, the Queen of the Belgians, Your Majesty, you have the floor. Belgium · Queen · Queen Mathilde [26:30]: I would like to start by expressing my heartfelt empathy towards all the Ukrainian children whose lives are being seriously compromised. Many children have died or been wounded as a result of horrendous attacks on civilian targets. Children live in fear of losing their lives. and of losing their loved ones. Countless children cannot go to school. Many of them are displaced inside Ukraine or abroad. Families are torn apart. Ukrainian children cannot enjoy the innocent, carefree childhood they deserve and need. The reports of children being taken away from their families are heartbreaking. These reports point to an intense violation of their rights in a deliberate, organised manner. Independent experts have established that the deportation of Ukrainian children amounts to war crimes. The forced adoption, acquisition of Russian nationality, militarisation and indoctrination of Ukrainian minors must stop. We must spare no effort to identify and locate all unaccompanied and separated Ukrainian children that have been transferred or deported. We must continue to work on solutions to protect the children and restore family ties. Children's rights, and specifically the protection of children in armed conflict, is of the highest priority for my country. Belgium supports UNICEF in its efforts to monitor and report on the violation of children's rights. We have provided specific funding for UNICEF projects in Ukraine, including assistance for unaccompanied children and those separated from their families. My country also supports, on a bilateral basis, initiatives that benefit children and their education. Every day that the rights of Ukraine's children are violated, it compromises their future. And the children of Ukraine constitute the most precious component of Ukraine's future. Belgium will continue to support the coalition and the UN agencies to make sure that Ukraine's children will be able to flourish in an independent, prosperous, and safe Ukraine. I thank you for your attention. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [28:59]: Thank you, Your Majesty. I would now thank you, Your Majesty, and I give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Latvia, Edgars Rinkevics, the President of the Republic. Latvia · President · Edgars Rinkevics [29:16]: Thank you very much, Excellencies. Since 2014, Russia has abducted or forcibly relocated almost 20,000 Ukrainian children. They remain far from home, continue to be stripped of their national identity, adopted in Russian families, indoctrinated as soldiers for the occupying power. These atrocities are a direct result of Russia's war, deliberate violation of international laws and Geneva Conventions. safe and unconditional return of Ukrainian children should be part of achieving peace. We commend Ukraine for placing its people at the centre of the peace talks. Excellencies, we will not let Russia get away with these crimes. The international community needs to make every effort to demand accountability from Russia. Latvia encourages broader sanctions targeting perpetrators of Russia's policy. We must ensure that the protection of all children is at the forefront of our efforts. Children grow fast. Time actually is not on our side. About 1,600 children have been returned, but it's not enough. We need to continue to pressure Russia to share the lists of children and their locations, give access to the International Committee of the Red Cross and human rights monitors. We will do everything in our power to return and to protect Ukrainian children. Latvia is ready to work together with Ukraine and other partners within the initiative to provide safe pathways home for Ukrainians returning home, especially deported children. We will continue to raise international awareness, working together with international organizations and non-governmental sector. We will be tireless in this endeavor until the last child is back to his or her loved ones. Thank you very much. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [31:11]: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Finland. Finland · President · Stubb [31:24]: Thank you very much. You know, Olena, Volodymyr, Mark, and Diana, we quite often talk about the three pillars of statehood being independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. But I think essentially what we're speaking about here today really is about identity. So, Suzanne, my wife and I had the chance to visit you in Kyiv about a week and a half ago, and during that visit, I had a chance to meet an organization called the Voices of Children. And of course, when we look at war, there are elements of it that are brutal, vulgar, and unethical, but the kidnapping of children, I think, goes beyond all of that. And we have to think that it's not only about the children being abducted and taken away and russified, but it's also about bringing them back and what happens to them when they bring back. So the organization that I was talking to said that they desperately needed more psychiatrists because when the kids come back and they have been told by the Russians that your parents don't love you, Ukrainians hate you, and you're a failure, the mental stress that you get as a child, no matter what age, is simply beyond anything that we can imagine. So my feeling is that not only is it a good thing that the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant on President Putin and Maria Lvova, who is Russia's Commissioner of Children's Rights, But we have to make sure that the people who have been engaged in this kind of activity have to stand trial, have to take the responsibility. And the final point I want to make is that there's not one human being, depending on which side you are in this war, who doesn't understand how heinous this crime that Russia is doing is. So therefore, let's continue to work with this issue. Let's bring the kids back. Slava Ukraini. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [33:35]: I want to express my appreciation to President Stub. I now give the floor to the representative of the Czech Republic, President Pavel. Czechia · President · Pavel [33:45]: Thank you. Dear Volodymyr, Olena, dear Mark, and Diana, thank you for the opportunity to address you on this really important issue. As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Czech Republic emphasize the immense and unjustified suffering of civilians in this war, especially under Russian occupation, a regime that denies people their right to choose their own future. Czechia condemns the deportation of children from Ukrainian regions under temporary Russian occupation as a grave violation of human rights. We are strongly -- we strongly condemn the militarization and indoctrination of Ukrainian children and young people under Russian occupation. We see these crimes clearly, and we do not look away. Those responsible must be brought to justice. We have been actively raising this issue in international fora since the beginning of the war. We believe that sustained international pressure and public awareness are essential to ending this abhorrent practice. Czechia is also providing financial support to several Ukrainian non-governmental organizations working actively on human rights abuses in the occupied territories, including the situation of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children. Earlier this year, in February, I met in Prague three deported children from Mariupol, Kira, Ivan, and Maxim. and hearing their stories was a vivid reminder that by abducting children, Russia is not only committing a crime, it is trying to steal and deny Ukraine's future. We will continue to support the work of the international coalition to bring every deported Ukrainian child back home. No child should ever be torn from their family, their home or their future, and we will not cease until they are returned. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [35:48]: Give our thanks to the President Pavel, and I'll give the floor to the Prime Minister of Norway in recognizing the extraordinary work that Norway has done as co-chair of the working group on the release of prisoners and deported persons. Mr. Prime Minister, you have the floor. Norway · Prime Minister [36:05]: Thank you, Ambassador. Thank you, dear Mark and Volodymyr, for convening us today. Mr. President, I was in Ukraine a month ago, and I spent time with some of your colleagues to visit a protection center for children that have been returned to Ukraine from Russia. And I must say, I have three children and two grandchildren. And meeting these young adolescents and hearing the horror they have been through and what they have to go through when they now have been returned made a deep impression on me. They were brave, but clearly marked by trauma. They have experienced, as we all repeat in our interventions, the worst thing you can to be forced away from family and friends and deep uncertainty about the future. It is good that we come together and basically this is a full hall, but I think all of the United Nations should be behind this. We have a child convention, we have Geneva conventions, and this is explicit number one in both of them this is truly unacceptable. The situation for the stolen children of Ukraine reminds us of the horror of this war. So the plight of the children is at the heart of any credible path to peace, and it was a part of your formula, Mr. President. I salute Canada for its systematic work and also the NGOs and the civil society that is backing up this. No one wants peace more than the Ukrainians, and no one deserves peace more than the children of Ukraine. So we stand by the demand that Russia must return all of the children that have been forcibly deported. A good place to start would be to return the children on the list submitted by Ukraine. So if Russia has any intention of showing good faith, and it remains to be seen, this is a place to start. So I will simply conclude by saying that Norway is a committed friend of Ukraine. We stand with you. We have about 100,000 Ukrainians living in Norway. We are looking after them, they are looking after us. They are good people. We support the Office of the Ombudsman and we work closely with UNICEF inside Ukraine. And the key priority is to ensure that return and reintegration is done in a safe and orderly way. Because the reintegration is a complex task, we know. We will support the newly established tracing mechanism to make it easier to locate and identify deported children. So forcibly deporting children is an affront to the world. And I'd like to salute also the First Lady, Zelenska and Trump for their engagement, showing that this is a broad humanitarian family issue. And it will deepen also the partnership, I believe, and I hope, between the United States and Ukraine. So as we develop our coalition to support Ukraine, let us make this dimension, which is a human dimension, key to our efforts. We support Ukraine with necessary arms to defend itself. We support you economically, humanitarian-wise, but this is real human dimension that we need to lift also to explain to our populations. And I also like to thank the President of the European Commission for announcing a high-level meeting on this issue, and Norway will do what we can to contribute. Slava Ukraini. Thank you. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [39:36]: I thank Prime Minister Sturgeon. I also want to give the floor now to the representative of the Republic of Austria, who is the Federal Chancellor of the Republic. Mr. Stroeker, yeah. Austria · Federal Chancellor [39:48]: Distinguished co-chairs of the International Coalition of the Return of Ukrainian Children, President Zelensky, Prime Minister Carney, First Ladies, excellences, First of all, thank you for hosting this important meeting. Let me make one thing very clear from the outset. Austria supports a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine based on the United Nation charter and international law. Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression has caused three years of terrible destruction, deep suffering, and great despair. Millions have been displaced and nearly 100,000 Ukrainians forced to flee have found refuge in Austria. many children. Austria remains one of the main contributors of humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine and is committed to continuing support for Ukraine and its neighboring states. As a member of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, Austria stands in solidarity with Ukrainian children. In addition, Austria works directly with the Bring Kids Back initiative reinforcing our own mediation efforts to return children to Ukraine and their families. We call for the immediate release of all children who were taken from their families by force. This is a grave breach of international law and a violation of their human rights, safety and dignity. We must continue to work together to reunite these children with their families and communities in Ukraine. The return is not only a moral obligation, it is integral to achieve a lasting peace. President Zelensky, you can count on Austria to stand by international law, the charter of the United Nations, and with Ukraine. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [41:59]: Thank you, Mr. Chancellor. It's now my pleasure to give the floor to the representative of Iceland, who is the prime minister. Iceland · Prime Minister [42:15]: Dear Vladimir, Mark, Diana, Alena, Excellencies, three and a half years have now passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During this time, Moscow has tried to cloud its ambitions and aggression with lies, false narratives about the root cause of the war. But the reality isn't complex. An aggressor invaded its neighbor, occupies parts of its territory, and deports Ukrainian children to Russia with force. Russia is destroying the lives of children, the most despicable aspects of Russia's war in Ukraine. The forced transfer and manipulation of children tells us everything we need to know about the character of Putin's regime. I speak not only as Prime Minister, but as a mother. My children fall asleep in safety. Their mornings begin in peace. Every day, I think of Ukrainian mothers who do not know where their sons or daughters are. Their courage is immense. Their pain is unimaginable. They deserve our sympathy, our attention, and they deserve action. Iceland resolutely supports efforts to return every unlawfully transferred Ukrainian child. We condemn the forced deportations and attempts to erase identities. It's barbaric, and it's a clear violation of international law. We need to ensure dignified return and reintegration, psychological support, and accountability for those responsible. We are grateful to Canada for its sustained leadership and advocacy that keeps this cause at the centre of our efforts. Iceland will continue to support the Ukrainian. People in their fight for freedom. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [44:09]: Prime Minister, thank you so much. It is now my pleasure to give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Ireland. Mr. Martin, you have the floor. Ireland · Mr. Martin [44:19]: Thank you very much indeed. President Zelensky and Prime Minister Carney, thank you very much indeed for convening today's meeting, and I want to thank in particular First Lady Elena and Diana for really telling us a personal story involving children and bringing home the concrete reality of the enormous trauma that has been visited upon so many children. And that trauma and that psychological damage is something that the coalition will really have to develop plans to deal with. And getting children back physically is obviously the primary objective, but we've got to ensure that we have multidisciplinary capacities and resources to enable those children to re-participate in life again and to access education in particular. It was John F. Kennedy, great Irish-American president, who said that the Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. And Russia is endeavoring to destroy the future of Ukraine by these actions, and they cannot be allowed to succeed. It's a chilling crime. There has to be accountability. It is about stealing identity and denial of childhood itself. And we all have to be unequivocal. that the forcible transfer of civilians, including children, amounts to a war crime against humanity. The International Criminal Court's decision in 2023 to issue arrest warrants for President Putin and his children's commissioner are particularly welcome and have to be followed through in terms of accountability. We need the return of all forcibly transferred persons. Ireland is a determined member of the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children and will do whatever we can to support the return, rehabilitation, and integration in line with the coalition's key principles. Ireland is also honored to host thousands and thousands of Ukrainian families since the outset of the war that have chosen to find safe refuge in Ireland. And they are very, very welcome among us, and they are ambassadors for your country. We will keep them safe until they can return. We will continue to work with you to raise our voice and add it to yours, Mr. President, for the safe return of all Ukrainian children. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [46:48]: I'd like to thank the Dausi for those remarks. Thank you so much. And now I'm going to give the floor to Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. Madam President, you have the floor. EU · President of the European Commission · Ursula von der Leyen [47:06]: Thank you very much. Thank you very much, dear Volodymyr and dear Mark, for convening us here today. And if you look at all the horrors unleashed by Russia's war, none cuts deeper than the abduction of children. And, Olena, as you've said, tens of thousands of boys and girls are trapped in Russia. They are not statistics. Each and every one is a child. And behind each and every abduction is a family in torment. Um, Diana, you also said, and I thank you for that, there are moments of hope. You described the story of Ilya and there are other stories so we can do something. And I want to take my time to focus on where we can support. We will not rest until Ukraine's children are home, but I know that the needs at home are also enormous. So Volodymyr and Olena, That's why I'm delighted to announce today that we are ready to make available some 200 million euros for the provision of school meals. You told me how important that is, and I'm happy to support here. Now, let me briefly focus on the abducted children trapped in a foreign land. We want to support here and that's why we are funding your prosecutor's office so that families can see that justice is done. That's why with UNICEF we are investing more than 10 million euros so that when the children return and some of you said it they are not only welcomed but helped to heal, to learn and of course to dream again of a future. And that's why we have sanctioned more than 50 individuals complicit in these crimes and more will follow. But this fight is not Ukraine's alone. It requires the world's resolve to maximize pressure on Russia. And this is why the European Union is joining the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children. And we are very delighted and honored to host the high-level international summit to put these children at the top of the global agenda. Thank you very much. Slava Ukraine. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [49:34]: Like to thank the President of the European Union. Ladies and gentlemen, I've been advised that our two principals have to leave, and we want to express our great appreciation to them both for being with us. The meeting will continue. We'll do a little bit of rearranging of the chairs up here, but we want to thank very much, Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister, thank you so much for joining us and for leading us in these discussions. So we'll take a very brief like literally one minute as we thank the Prime Minister and the President. Thank you so much. Thank you. Can we move into the middle? Move towards the middle. All right, we're going to continue. If I could just bring the meeting to order, thank those who have spoken. If I could just call the meeting to order. We still have a number of speakers, and I'd really like to give them all an opportunity to speak. So if we could please continue. Having thanked the President of the European Union, it's now my pleasure to give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Bulgaria. Prime Minister Yalyuskov, you have the floor, please. Bulgaria · Prime Minister · Yalyuskov [51:26]: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dear Madam Carney, Bulgaria remains deeply concerned about the continuing systematic violations of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories. Civilians, especially children, are among the most affected. Russia must be held fully accountable for waging a full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. We strongly condemn the forced displacement and deportation of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation. We call for the immediate and unconditional return of all deported children. Their protection must be a non-negotiable priority. The return of children must be treated not as a bargaining chip, but as a non-negotiable pillar of any peace process. Bulgaria calls for full and unhindered access for international human rights monitors, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross to all affected areas, including so-called filtration camps and institutions in Russia where Ukrainian children are being held. Accountability for all violations may be ensured. The use of filtration camps, forced deportations, coercive adoption procedures and attempts to impose Russian citizenship on Ukrainian children undermine human dignity, violate the Fourth Geneva Convention and must cease immediately. Our guiding point is to assert that the full, safe, and dignified return of all Ukrainian children is not merely a humanitarian goal. It is a milestone and precondition for any future peace agreement. Let us be clear, restoring childhood is restoring humanity. Returning these children is not just an act of compassion, it is an act of justice, and justice is the foundation upon which True peace must be built. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [53:37]: Thank you very much, Prime Minister. I now give the floor to the representative of the Principality of Andorra, the Prime Minister Zamora. Andorra · Prime Minister · Zamora [53:47]: Thank you very much, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Since the outbreak of the war, the position of my country of Andorra has been clear. We stand with Ukraine. We strongly condemn Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The illegal deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children during this ongoing war constitutes a serious human rights violation. For this reason, the Andorran government has decided to join the Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, a decision which I would like to reconfirm today. Furthermore, my government supports the objectives of the Bring Kids Back Ukraine initiative. During Andorra's chairmanship of the Council of Europe Rapporteur Group on Social and Health Questions, the Consultation Group on Children was established and held its first meeting in 2023. The group's objective is to discuss effective ways to protect the rights of the million of Ukrainian children who have been forced to flee their homeland since the start of Russia's war of aggression and now reside in Council of Europe member states and Russia. Moreover, we propose utilizing specific United Nations mechanisms to protect children affected by armed conflict. To this end, I would like to invite you to support the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and to join the Proof It Matters campaign. Tomorrow, my country will host a side event to reaffirm our commitment to children's rights. It is of paramount importance to ensure the protection of children's rights and freedoms in the context of this armed aggression in full compliance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Thank you for your attention. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [55:40]: Thank you, Prime Minister. I'd like to thank the Prime Minister. I now give the floor to the First Lady of Lithuania, and thank her so much for joining us today. Lithuania · First Lady [55:51]: Ladies and gentlemen, The objective, the United Nations General Assembly is the forum where a broad coalition can be mobilized by building common understanding and awareness across all countries. War itself is a form of madness. The so-called theory of denazification is nothing but a naked Machiavellian distortion of Nazi racial theory. It is a policy that must never be repeated. and yet it is now being dangerously spread on a global scale. It is a Machiavellian crime to accuse both past and present victims and to shift onto them the guilt of the executioners. Yet these are the consequences of the domination of the aggressor's sick ideology. Ukrainian children are being torn from their families and deported from their homeland. Their culture and national identity are being erased. They face illegal indoctrination, falsified history, and manipulation of collective memory. These actions aim not only to justify Ukraine's occupation today, but also to normalize the dehumanization of entire societies in the future. This is lethal for humanity. The same forces caused the Holodomor, carried out deportations to Siberia, and filled the mass graves of Gulag. They forced the expulsion of the native Crimean Tatars who had lived peacefully in their own homeland in sovereign and independent Ukraine. They launched the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, and now the same forces are blaming the Western civilization for the consequences of the war. We must understand how harmful it is for humanity to revive such ideologies, to promote them as acceptable, and to spread them means to accept the mass devaluation of human life and the distortion of the Holocaust. Today we see how quickly and brutally such thinking can be forced into the minds of any society through brainwashing public attitudes, perspectives and values are being altered. This is profound threat to humanity. We must stop the mental manipulations of the aggressor. The international community and professionals must unite to face this global challenge to social psychology worldwide. We need more scientific research on the impact of war on mental health. Mental health support is needed not only for Ukrainians, but also for all post-war societies. We need more effective practical tools to provide real support for families suffering from war and post-war emotional wounds. Lithuania is already committed and will continue its support for Ukraine in the field of children's mental health and psychological rehabilitation, not only with words, but with actions too. We are working with mental health specialists at the Ukrainian Center in Vilnius. Experts are providing psychological help and self-help methodologies for children of war veterans and refugees. Lithuanian universities are cooperating with Ukrainian universities on research into mental health issues and psychosocial rehabilitation of children. The challenge of mental health is essential for long-lasting peace in the world. Lithuania calls on the international community to unite, to seek solutions. to strengthen the resilience of our societies in the whole world, for Ukraine, for children, for our common future. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:00:39]: I thank the First Lady of Lithuania very much for her talk. I now give the floor to General Keith Kellogg, who is the United States Special Envoy for Ukraine. General Kellogg, you have the floor. United States of America · Special Envoy for Ukraine · Keith Kellogg [1:00:50]: Thank you. And thanks for all of you being here today. At a recent visit into Kiev, I visited a children's memorial. In that memorial were those that were lost in the war, but also those that were missing. Instead of laying flowers at the memorial, those who laid something down, we laid stuffed toys, animal toys. Down to remember them. It's something we should think about because we as adults, we should be. Ashamed that the children have become pawns in this war. And we must figure ways to bring those children back. For those of us that sit here, and those are not only the senior leaders in this room, but those on the press on my left. And right as well, should make this a primary issue on the reduction of children. We as parents, and I am as a parent, as a grandparent, are appalled the fact that children have been made pawns in this war. And briefly, even God knew that. In the New Testament in Matthew 18:6, he said, it would be better to have a millstone around your neck than to harm the little ones. We should always remember that. And with that, thank you for being here today. Let us bring these children home. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:02:00]: General, thank you very much. I give the floor now to Alain Berset, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Monsieur Berset. CoE · Secretary General · Alain Berset [1:02:10]: Thank you so much, Minister Sibylla, First Lady Fox Carney, Excellencies. For all of us, the children of Ukraine hold a very special place in our hearts, and it is also the case for the Council of Europe. And it is also the reason why the children of Ukraine are at the very centre of the action plan that we have for Ukraine. This action plan is about resilience. is about recovery, is about reconstruction. And what does it mean for the children of Ukraine? Resilience means survival. Recovery means healing, as most of you mentioned before. And reconstruction means a future. That's why we must have these ideas in mind and at the top of our priorities, supporting the children of Ukraine. What does it mean exactly? It means that we all must deliver where we have a possibility to deliver, where we have leverage, and for the institution I represent here, the Council of Europe, it means to deliver on accountability. Let me bring one example. In July, The European Court of Human Rights spoke with clarity and stated that Russia is responsible for the unlawful transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children and must cooperate in their safe return. And it is important to underline this because it is only international courts taking some such decisions at the moment. The second element where we can deliver is about the register of damage. Last week, the Register of Damage for Ukraine launched a new claims category on the forcible transfer or deportation of children. It will be key for accountability in this matter. And the last element I want to mention, in the very beginning of my mandate, I appointed a special envoy for the children of Ukraine. To sum up, each day Russia's war of aggression continues. is a day taken from Ukraine's children. Restoring childhoods is restoring humanity, and restoring humanity is giving peace a chance. Bring the kids back home. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:04:38]: I now give the floor to -- thank you, Mr. Berset. I now give the floor to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. Schuff. Netherlands (Kingdom of the) · Prime Minister · Mr. Schuff [1:04:47]: Thank you. Russia's war of aggression manifests itself not only on the battlefield, but in the daily lives of ordinary people too. The reality of the Ukrainian people are facing is deeply disturbing and traumatizing. Russia's regime has demonstrated a total disregard for the lives of Ukrainians, especially in the territories it temporarily occupies. Shockingly, the most vulnerable in society are specifically targeted by Russia, and I'm talking about children. Russia's deportation campaign, illegal adoption scheme, and aggressive Russification policy represents a clear attempt to control the Ukraine people, erase their identity, and dictate their future. We all know that time is of the essence. For a child who is separated from their loved ones, every day matters. And the same goes for their parents. We know many families are going to great lengths to recover their lost children. I want to underline my deep sympathy and support for these efforts. We are grateful to Canada and Ukraine for hosting this meeting. It is important to discuss concrete ways to help. The Netherlands has various initiatives in place to support Ukrainian efforts. First, the Netherlands is facilitating a project that uses DNA to establish the family ties of children who were deported by Russia. This DNA analysis sends a clear message to Putin that he cannot erase the identity of these children. We will have irrefutable evidence of their family ties. We are also investing in rehabilitation and mental health support for children returning from their ordeal. It is important to ensure they receive the care, stability and guidance needed to heal, reintegrate and rebuild their lives. In addition, we are working with parents, with partners to ensure that those responsible for these horrifying practices are held to account. We are also putting pressure on Russia to stop the adoptions, including through sanctions. All these joint efforts are part and parcel of unwavering Dutch support for Ukraine, political, military, economic, and moral. Our collective message to Russia must be clear. Children must not be used as pawns of war. They are the future of Ukraine, and their future belongs to them. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:06:59]: Thank you, Prime Minister. I'm now going to give the floor to to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia. You have the floor. Slovenia · Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs [1:07:12]: So much, Slovenia condemns abductions and forcible transfers of Ukrainian children to Russia, Belarus, and temporarily occupied territories. This is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law and constitutes a war crime. In this regard, the ICC has issued arrest warrants for President Putin and Commissioner for Children's Rights, Lvova Belova, and this matters, as President Zelensky put it earlier. Russia must end this deplorable and unlawful practice and ensure immediate and safe return of Ukrainian children. Thousands of children have been separated from their homes and families and robbed of education. They have been deprived of a simple childhood. It is concerning to see that grave violations against children in Ukraine continue even after the Secretary-General's annual report clearly noted and quantified them. The number of casualties among children has been rising in recent months, with the youngest victims being babies and toddlers. We are deeply alarmed by the reports of illegal adoptions, enlistments and indoctrination of Ukrainian children and youth, as well as alterations of their personal status. Children should not have become pawns of war. The issue of abducted Ukrainian children is intrinsically connected to efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, and Russia must provide all necessary information about children and facilitate their return. This would be a concrete confidence-building measure and an opportunity for Russia to demonstrate its willingness for peace. Slovenia will continue to support the activities of the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children. We will use every opportunity to raise awareness about the issue and support all steps to protect children affected by Russian aggression. In our humanitarian aid for Ukraine, we place a very special emphasis on psychosocial assistance and rehabilitation of children affected by the war, and we will continue and expand such projects. Slovenia supports foster families in Ukraine, as we believe every child deserves a safe and nurturing environment. This year, We will open a foster home for ten children and by the end of next year, two additional foster homes will be built. And this concrete commitment reflects our dedication to strengthening child protection systems both at home and abroad. So we are furthermore looking into ways to provide additional support, including school meals for children and safe shelter in schools for those most affected already in this year and also next year. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:10:24]: Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Mr. Ciggianni. Thank. Italy · Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs · Mr. Ciggianni [1:10:36]: You, Chair. Italy is part of this coalition. We believe in this coalition. We are ready for doing more for supporting this coalition. This history of the Ukrainian children is part of the disaster, is part of the violation of international rules, but it's more than a violation of international rules. It's a crime against humanity. Because when we talk on children, we talk the human rights. For this, we need to be very strong against Russia for this. We need to do more. Italy is ready to do more. We will continue to work together to increase pressure on Russia. We fully support efforts by the Vatican and other actors that are facilitating the return of Ukrainian children. I spoke to Pope Leo on this issue when we met last month, and he is ready and we are ready for working together for achieving our goal. The future of Ukrainian children remains a key priority For us, then, it's important to work for the integration at home, not easy after many years in Russia. For this, we need also to -- we are ready also for sending psychologists for supporting action of the Ukrainian authorities. The path to just peace must include the return home of all Ukrainian children, and Italy is strongly committed to this common goal. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:12:23]: I'm now going to give the floor to the representative of Malta. And after that, I'm afraid I have to be the bearer of bad news. The train is going to leave the station. So after that, I'm going to ask our foreign minister and the foreign minister of Ukraine if they would sum up. But first, I'm going to Malta. I apologize, but we're working under strict rules of time here. So Malta and then? Malta [1:12:57]: Distinguished delegates, Malta thanks the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of Ukraine for convening this important meeting. The plight of Ukrainian children who have been unlawfully transferred and deported to Russia. by Russia is one of the gravest consequences of the ongoing aggression. It represents not only a blatant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, but also a profound humanitarian tragedy that shocks the conscience of international community. The forced transfer of children, their separation from families, the denial of education in their mother tongue, and the systematic erasure of their identity amounts to crimes that can leave scars for generations. These practices are part of a broader pattern of systematic abuses in the temporarily occupied territories, including forced indoctrination and the deliberation attempt to erase culture and heritage. Such actions are indefensible. Children must never be used as instruments of war. Malta reiterates its unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We commend Ukraine's tireless efforts through the Bring Kids Back Ukraine initiative and fully endorse the work of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. As former chair of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, Malta underlines that the protection of children must remain at the heart of our collective response. The safe return, reintegration, and rehabilitation of these children must be central pillar of that response. This is not only a legal obligation, dear excellencies, it is a moral imperative. The best interests of the child must guide all our actions. It is essential to ensure accountability for those responsible and to embed the return of these children firmly within the broader pursuit of a just and lasting peace. Malta will continue to support Ukraine's efforts so that every child can be reunited with their family, regain identity, and live in dignity and security. This is a shared responsibility our collective commitment to the future. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:15:10]: Thank you very much, Minister. Thank you. I'm now going to give the floor to the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Andriy Sypa, and will then turn to Anita Anand, who's the Foreign Minister of Canada. Ukraine · Foreign Minister · Andriy Sypa [1:15:25]: Your Majesty, dear excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues, friends, it's a great honor for me to deliver concluding remarks on behalf of the President of Ukraine. This is a historic event, and I thank each one of you for your participation. Your presence, statements, and pledges demonstrate unwavering solidarity. Ukrainian children need it more than ever. I am particularly grateful to Canada as co-chair of our coalition for its steadfast support and effective leadership. Today, we once again reaffirmed that the fate of Ukrainian children must remain at the forefront of the peace process. The return of our children is not a matter for political bargaining. It is a humanitarian duty, a requirement of international law, and our shared responsibility for the future. What Russia did and is continuing to do with Ukrainian children are not isolated incidents. Deportation, Russification, and indoctrination, the elimination of Ukrainian identity, the militarization of childhood, all this a deliberate policy of the aggressor. These actions carry the features of genocide, and the world cannot close its eyes. The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Putin and his commissioner for children's rights. The European Court of Human Rights has recognized the systemic nature of these violations. For three years already, the UN Secretary General has placed Russia on the so-called list of shame for grave crimes against children in armed conflict. Yet this is not enough. We must continue to intensify pressure, broaden sanctions, insist on effective monitoring, and secure the return of children. Every child still held by Russia is a verdict to humanity. Today's meeting of our coalition sends yet another signal to the Kremlin. The world is united and resolute in demanding the return of Ukrainian children to their homes. I hope that observers of our coalition will soon join it as full members. Dear friends, my central message today is this: The return of our children is the path to a just peace. For real peace, we need children's rights to be restored and families reunited. Together, we shall ensure that every Ukrainian child returns home to their family, to their country, and to their future. Ukraine and Canada will issue a co-chair summary of the meeting reflecting our discussions and listing the pledges. Thank you for your attention. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:17:59]: Thank you so much. I now give the floor to Anita Anand, who is the foreign minister of Canada. Canada · Foreign Minister · Anita Anand [1:18:08]: Thank you so much, Ambassador Ray. Dobry den weseim. Good afternoon, everyone. It is immense honour for me to be here with all of you today on behalf of Prime Minister Carney and with his spouse, Diana Fox Carney. President Zelensky, First Lady Zelenska, Minister Sabiha, my dear friend, the world stands with you. Your fight is our fight, and we cannot allow children to be statistics. As Prime Minister Carney said, your cause, freedom, democracy, sovereignty, is ours as well. take a moment and summarize some of the points that we have heard today of the thousands and thousands of children who have been kidnapped, only 1,600 or so have been returned. Ukraine has given Turkey and Russia data about 339 children with no response from Russia to date. There is no one who does not understand the pain and horrendous suffering involved in the crimes that have been committed, brainwashing, kidnapping, stealing identities, all of children who cannot defend themselves and who are unable to understand what is being perpetrated against them. And therefore, all of the United Nations should be behind this, not only the people in this room. So we have to carry this messaging, we have to carry this impetus outside the walls of this room into the broader General Assembly. And I was so pleased to hear that President Zelensky is going to be championing a resolution that we can all get behind this year. every unlawfully transferred child must be returned and children cannot be pawns of war. In summary, Canada's steadfast view is that the return of Ukrainian children is one vital step in the broader imperative to ensure that children should never be used as pawns of war. Thank you. Canada · Permanent Representative · Bob Rae [1:20:47]: I want to thank you, Minister. Thank the foreign minister of Ukraine. Thanks to Diana Fox Carney. Thanks to all of you for coming and staying and listening. There's work to do on a vital cause. I think we all know we must not forget the children. So thank you all very much for coming. The meeting is adjourned. Thank you.