Imposing tougher sanctions on Russia could help prevent the abduction of Ukrainian children and support efforts to bring back those already taken.
This was underscored by Carina Odebrink, a member of the Swedish Riksdag (Parliament) and Special Rapporteur of the OSCE Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine, in an interview with Ukrinform.
“Yes, absolutely. I think it’s crucial that we, from the Parliamentary Assembly, send a strong message to the governmental level within the OSCE. One possibility could be to initiate a new report under the Moscow Mechanism, if Ukraine considers that helpful. But first and foremost, I believe that imposing tougher sanctions on Russia is the most effective tool,” said Odebrink, commenting on the need to introduce new sanctions against Russia to increase pressure for the return of Ukrainian children.
She pointed out that Sweden, like many other countries, is actively discussing the issue of the so-called Russian shadow fleet. “I believe we need to strengthen sanctions in that area too. Because as long as Russia is allowed to generate revenue, it can continue financing the war – and with it, the deportation of more children. That’s why strong and targeted sanctions are essential,” she stated.
The Riksdag member underscored that sanctions can be an effective tool.
“We also know that sanctions can work. Take Belarus, for instance, which has supported Russia’s war against Ukraine. The sanctions imposed on Belarus have had an impact – to my knowledge, there are no more known camps or facilities for deported Ukrainian children in Belarus. This shows that sanctions do make a difference,” Odebrink added.
As reported by Ukrinform, on May 22, Daria Zarivna, Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA initiative, said that the number of Ukrainian children deported by Russia could be much higher than the currently known figure of 19,546.
Photo credit: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
