US announces $25 million to support Ukrainian children returned from Russia

The US announced a $25 million initiative Thursday to support the return and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children who were "forcibly relocated to Russian-controlled areas." The State Department said the funding, coordinated with Congress, "will assist reliable partners to identify and track children that have been forcibly transferred away from their home."

Support for returning children

The funding will also support the Ukrainian government and trusted local partners to "provide returned children with the care and support they need to recover and rebuild their lives," it added. The initiative aims to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the forced displacement of thousands of Ukrainian children since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Commitment to peace

"President (Donald) Trump has made clear that tragic bloodshed in Ukraine must stop, and his Administration remains fully committed to securing a lasting peace," the statement said. The announcement comes as the US-Israeli war with Iran continues, but Washington maintains parallel efforts to address the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

International context

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children's rights commissioner over the alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. Ukraine estimates tens of thousands of children have been forcibly transferred to Russian-controlled areas or Russia itself since the invasion.