On November 12, the European Parliament held a conference titled “Forced Transfers and Deportation of Ukrainian Children: Current Situation and Call for Collective Action.” This event aimed to introduce the Bring Kids Back UAinitiative to newly elected officials, securing their support to implement recommendations from two White Papers developed by the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force. The conference gathered leaders, including the President and Vice President of the European Parliament, Ukrainian officials, international organization representatives, and task force experts.
Opening the conference, Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and co-chair of the Bring Kids Back UA Task Force, addressed the attendees: “Russia began forcibly transferring Ukrainian children during the 2014 occupation of Crimea. Following the 2022 full-scale invasion, these deportations became state policy. Each child’s story reminds us of the need not only to bring them home but to defend the core values of community, dignity, and justice. If children are brave enough to resist aggression, we must be just as brave.”
President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola expressed full support for the initiative: “Russia’s war against Ukraine challenges international norms and moral responsibility. The forcible transfer of Ukrainian children is one of the most shocking violations, demanding swift action.”
Lady Helena Kennedy, co-chair of the Task Force and Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), presented findings and recommendations from the White Paper “Safeguarding Children from Forcible Transfer and Deportation.” She emphasized the systematic nature of Russia’s actions: “Russia began mass removal of Ukrainian children even before the full-scale invasion. This was not the rescue operation Russia claims—it was deportation. If Russia truly intended to protect these children, they would facilitate their return to their families.”
Daria Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President and Operations Director of Bring Kids Back UA, highlighted Ukraine's efforts to reintegrate returned children: “The second White Paper by the Task Force addresses the urgent need for reintegration and rehabilitation of children who are victims of Russian deportation. Returning these children home is only the beginning—they need our support to heal and restore their lives within safe, internationally recognized standards.”
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets raised concerns about Russia’s systematic policy of erasing the identities of deported Ukrainian children, urging Europe to increase pressure on Russia for accelerated returns.
The conference also featured updates from the Montreal Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, held in late October, and discussed the Montreal Commitments to support the return of all Ukrainian detainees and deportees.