The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday called for the urgent and unconditional return of Ukrainian children “forcibly transferred” to Russia, highlighting a sensitive issue as Kyiv and Moscow continue negotiations to end the ongoing conflict.
The assembly passed the non-binding resolution with 91 votes in favor, 12 against, and 57 abstentions. Russia was among the countries opposing the measure.
The resolution “demands that the Russian Federation ensure the immediate, safe and unconditional return of all Ukrainian children who have been forcibly transferred or deported.”
It further urges Moscow to “cease, without delay, any further practice of forcible transfer, deportation, separation from families and legal guardians, change of personal status, including through citizenship, adoption or placement in foster families, and indoctrination of Ukrainian children.”
Kyiv has accused Russia of abducting at least 20,000 children since the conflict began in February 2022.
Mariana Betsa, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, described Russia’s actions as “the largest state abduction operation in history,” noting that over 1,850 children have been located and returned to Ukraine so far.
“There will be no just peace in Ukraine without the immediate unconditional return of our children back home,” Betsa said during her speech before the vote.
While Moscow acknowledges that some children were removed from combat zones for safety reasons, Russia’s deputy UN envoy Maria Zabolotskaya dismissed the resolution as “full of mendacious accusations.”
“Each vote for the resolution is a support for lies, war, and confrontation. Every voice against is a vote for peace,” she stated.
The UN vote comes as the United States—one of the countries supporting the resolution—presses both Russia and Ukraine to reach an agreement on ending the war.
Negotiations have repeatedly stalled, even as Russian forces continue to advance slowly on the front lines, incurring heavy losses.
US President Donald Trump initially set a deadline of November 27 for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to respond to a proposed plan, which included the potential ceding of Ukrainian territory to Russia—a condition that Kyiv rejected. Despite this, discussions remain ongoing.
After talks in Geneva last month, Zelensky acknowledged progress with US negotiators, particularly on “extremely sensitive points” like the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
For the European Union’s UN envoy, Stavros Lambrinidis, the issue is urgent. “The abducted children of Ukraine cannot wait for the final outcome, for the Russian decision to stop the war or not,” he said.
Since 2023, Russia has been listed by the UN for violating children’s rights in conflict zones, largely due to allegations of abducting Ukrainian children.
The International Criminal Court also issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin that same year, citing “reasonable grounds to believe” he “bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children to Russia.
What you should know
The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution demanding the immediate return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, amid ongoing negotiations to end the war.
Kyiv has accused Moscow of abducting at least 20,000 children since February 2022, though some have been returned. The resolution calls on Russia to stop all practices of forced transfers, legal changes, or indoctrination.
The issue is a central point in talks facilitated by the US, while the International Criminal Court has implicated President Putin in crimes related to the deportation of children.
The measure underscores international pressure on Russia to prioritize children’s rights, regardless of the broader conflict’s resolution.
