International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children Reaches 50 Members Following Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Accession

12 June, Kyiv

This week, Bosnia and Herzegovina joined the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, bringing the total number of Coalition members to 50 countries and international organisations from around the world.

This milestone reflects growing international unity in protecting the rights of Ukrainian children who have been deported, forcibly transferred, or remain under Russian control.

Ukraine is grateful to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković for this important decision. Every new member strengthens the international community’s collective ability to act: to identify, trace, and verify information about the location of children; facilitate their safe return; support their reintegration and rehabilitation; and advance accountability for crimes committed by Russia against Ukrainian children.

Andrii Sybiha, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said:

“Today, we welcome Bosnia and Herzegovina as the 50th member of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children and thank it for this important decision. For Ukraine, this is a strong sign of international unity in the protection of children’s rights. Our priority remains unchanged: to bring home all Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. At the same time, joint work within the Coalition will help shape the international mechanisms that are still lacking today to ensure that such crimes are not repeated and do not go unpunished. A child’s right to be at home, with their family, is a fundamental human right, and its protection is a shared responsibility of adults around the world.”

The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was launched by Ukraine and Canada in February 2024. Its aim is to unite international efforts to bring home Ukrainian children unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation, as well as children who remain in the temporarily occupied territories under Russian control.

The Coalition now includes 47 states from around the world and three international organisations: the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Ukraine and Canada, as co-chairs, continue working to further expand the Coalition, including through engagement with countries of the Global South. On behalf of Ukraine, the Coalition’s work is coordinated by Bring Kids Back UA, the initiative of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Maksym Maksymov, Head of Bring Kids Back UA, said:

“Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession as the 50th member of the Coalition is an important result of joint diplomatic work and another confirmation that the return of Ukrainian children must unite states. We continue working every day to expand international participation in the Coalition, including through engagement with countries of the Global South. It is important to explain to partners that returning children to their families and to their home country is, first and foremost, a humanitarian issue. Regardless of geography or political context, these fundamental rights are universal and must be protected.”

On 11 May 2026, the High-Level Meeting of the Coalition took place in Brussels, co-hosted by Ukraine, Canada, and the European Union. The meeting was attended by delegations from 63 countries and international organisations. Partners reaffirmed that the return of Ukrainian children is both a humanitarian priority and an essential part of a just and lasting peace.

Within the Coalition, states and international partners work to strengthen tracing and data verification mechanisms, support organised returns, reintegration and rehabilitation, coordinate sanctions policy, and advance accountability for individuals and entities involved in the deportation, illegal adoption, indoctrination, and militarisation of Ukrainian children.

As of today, 2,264 Ukrainian children have been returned home through the multistakeholder efforts coordinated within the framework of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

The deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children are not a side effect of war, but part of the Russian Federation’s systemic policy aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity and severing children’s ties with Ukraine. That is why the further expansion of the Coalition is essential: to ensure that the return of Ukrainian children remains a priority for governments around the world and to strengthen the development of effective international mechanisms that can help bring children home and prevent impunity for such crimes.

Ukraine will continue working with international partners until every Ukrainian child is returned home.