On Monday 11 May, the European Union announced new sanctions against those responsible for the abduction of Ukrainian children and financial support of €50 million to help combat this practice.
Nearly 20,500 Ukrainian children have been deported and forcibly transferred by Russia since the start of the war of aggression, and only 2,100 of them have been reunited with their families. “Of all the horrors inflicted by Russia’s war, the abduction of Ukrainian children is one of its worst. Stealing children is a calculated Russian attack on Ukraine’s future”, the High Representative of the Union, Kaja Kallas, told the media.
The EU Council has adopted sanctions against 16 individuals and seven entities “responsible for the systematic unlawful deportation, forced transfer, forced assimilation, including indoctrination and militarised education, of Ukrainian minors, as well as their unlawful adoption and removal to the Russian Federation and within temporarily occupied territories”.
These include institutions linked to the Russian Ministry of Education, such as the All-Russian Children’s Centres ‘Orlyonok’, ‘Scarlet Sails’ and ‘Smena’ , the DOSAAF centre in Sevastopol, the Nakhimov naval school, the military-patriotic club ‘Patriot’ in Crimea and the Avangard Military Camp.
Politicians with positions relating to minors, including Egor Logunov, “Minister of Youth Policy in the so-called Ministry of Youth Policy” in the occupied region of Zaporijjia, and heads of centres for Ukrainian children are also subject to measures.
According to the High Representative, the EU has already sanctioned more than 100 individuals and entities involved in the deportation, forcible transfer and so-called re-education of Ukrainian children.
To see the legislative acts: https://aeur.eu/f/lv9
Ahead of the high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, also announced €50 million in support. “These funds will support the Ukrainian child protection system. Each child repatriated must receive support that is adapted, rapid and rooted in his or her community”, explained Ms Kos. In addition, part of the funds earmarked for pre-school education and “at least €1 million” will be allocated to strengthening the digital capabilities of Ukrainian citizens, enabling them to submit claims for compensation.
The Canadian minister, Anita Anand, who co-organised the event, said that the work should focus on three priorities. First of all, the return of the children. “Ukraine and its partners have done a great deal of work, but the pace needs to be stepped up”, she said. The second priority is rehabilitation and reintegration, “to ensure that children traumatised by prolonged separation from their family, community and culture receive psychological and community support”. Finally, it’s about accountability. “The illegal deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia is a serious violation of international law”, stressed Ms Anand.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for more to be done. “Everyone must take concrete measures”, he argued.
Mr Sybiha called for work to be done to implement the United Nations General Assembly resolution of 3 December 2025, which calls for the immediate, safe and unconditional return of these children. In his view, more pressure is needed on Russia and those involved, whether they are responsible for the abductions or have adopted the children. “The time has come to act, to use all diplomatic instruments and channels. We have good examples in countries like Qatar. They are very efficient and we are trying to extend the list of efficient capitals that could help us to recover our children”, he added.
For her part, Kaja Kallas pointed out that the Ukrainian pilot programme to locate and verify the fate of Ukrainian children had already made it possible to locate more than 1,300 children and establish leads for 1,800 others.
Canada will be hosting a summit in Toronto on 28 and 29 September this year to continue efforts to bring home Ukrainian children.
International Claims Commission. At the Foreign Affairs Council, the ministers also agreed that the EU should become a party to the International Claims Commission (see EUROPE 13860/3). The EU will therefore be able to hand over the instrument of conclusion of the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine on 14 May, at a meeting devoted to the Convention in Chișinău. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)