November 12, 2026
News European Parliament: "War in Ukraine: MEPs demand Russia returns deported Ukrainian children"
In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs say perpetrators responsible for the deportation or forced transfer of Ukrainian children during the war must be held to account.
Strongly condemning Russia’s systematic deportation, forcible transfer, illegal adoption, forced Russification, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children during the war, the text adopted by 536 votes in favour, 8 against and 37 abstentions, demands the immediate cessation of these practices and reiterates Russia’s full responsibility for respecting the rights of children under its control. MEPs call on Russia to immediately, safely and unconditionally return all deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children back from Russian-controlled territory to unoccupied Ukraine. They insist that the return of children is an obligation under international law and must never be used as a bargaining instrument or made conditional upon territorial concessions, prisoner exchanges, or other political agreements.
According to the resolution, as of September 2026, 20,651 cases of the deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia have been verified, whereas approximately 1.6 million Ukrainian children are estimated to remain under Russian occupation. It also states that, as of 28 October 2026, 2,752 Ukrainian children deported, forcibly transported or rescued from Russian-occupied territories have so far been returned.