106 Ukrainian children were successfully returned from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories in September 2025

In September 2025, Ukraine returned 106 more children who had been deported, forcibly transferred, or trapped in temporarily occupied territories. This brings the total number of returned children to 1,656. Their return was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative and its partners: the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Child Rights Network, Save Ukraine, Helping to Leave, and the Joint Center for the Coordination of the Search and Release of Prisoners.

On September 23, the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children held a high-level summit in New York alongside the UN General Assembly. Key outcomes included the launch of a tracing and verification mechanism supported by countries like the UK, Canada, and the Nordic and Baltic states; a commitment by Austria to join mediation efforts; and the expansion of reintegration programs under the patronage of First Lady Olena Zelenska. The European Union and Andorra also joined the Coalition, strengthening global coordination.

Just two days later, the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, met with U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. They discussed shared values, the need to protect children affected by war, and the importance of international cooperation to safeguard childhoods. Mrs. Zelenska thanked Mrs. Trump for her public support and called for continued efforts to return abducted children.

Also this month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU will host the next international summit on the return of abducted Ukrainian children. She reaffirmed that Europe, together with the United States, will work until every child is brought home. More than 50 individuals linked to Russia’s abduction policy are currently under sanctions, and over $10 million will be invested in recovery support for Ukrainian children in cooperation with UNICEF.