Ukraine has been exchanging captured Russian troops for Ukrainian POWs and following procedures and mechanisms for bringing back civilians, but the return of Ukrainian children is currently an extremely challenging matter as they cannot be exchanged.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with CBN, Ukrinform reports.
“It’s a challenge with children… See, we cannot exchange children for children. Our forcibly deported Ukrainian kids are there. We don’t hold Russian kids. We didn’t abduct anyone, we didn’t deport anyone. This never happened. And even our raid into Kursk region proves this… Not a single person was abducted, we didn’t kill a single civilian, not a single child was injured there,” Zelensky said.
He noted that troops are exchanged for troops and so far, Ukraine has succeeded in bringing back over 3,500 soldiers and counting, despite the blocking by the Russian side.
There are also tools for the return of civilians, the president added.
Zelensky stressed that currently, Ukraine has verified 19,5000 children who have been forcibly deported by Russia. At the same time, according to the president, the Russian Ombudsperson at one time claimed Russia had removed 700,000 Ukrainian children from their home country.
“These are their official data. I don’t know how true it is, but it’s terrible, they are proud that they abducted children,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine is now trying to bring its children back through the mediation by partners, in particular Qatar and the Vatican. Other countries are also joining in, Zelensky noted, adding that a total of 1,030 children have already been recovered.
He expressed hope that with the help of European partners and the United States, Ukraine will be able to end the war and the issue of bringing its citizens back will remain a priority.
Source: Ukraine does not abduct children unlike Russia - Zelensky
