Canada co-hosting two-day conference on returning Ukrainian children abducted by Russia

Canada is co-hosting a global conference in Toronto today aimed at returning Ukrainian children abducted by Russian forces since the 2022 invasion. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is leading the meeting, which brings together ministers from European countries and non-governmental organizations.

The Trudeau government co-launched an international coalition with Ukraine in 2024 to recover children taken during the full-scale invasion. The coalition's efforts have already led to the return of hundreds of children, and the work has since expanded to include adult civilians and prisoners of war taken from occupied regions of Ukraine.

The two-day conference will include testimonies from Ukrainians who have returned from Russian captivity. Ukraine and its allies assess that Russia has effectively abducted tens of thousands of children, often placing them in Russian families where they are made to reject Ukrainian culture and identity.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and a senior Russian official since March 2023, with charges including unlawful deportation and transfer of children.