The European Parliament has called on Russia this Thursday to return “immediately, safely and unconditionally” all Ukrainian minors who have been deported or forcibly transferred since the start of the invasion of Ukraine. The institution warns that at least 20,651 children have been victims of these practices and demands that their return be a “priority” in any peace negotiation intended to end the conflict.
The request appears in a resolution approved by 536 votes in favor, eight against and 37 abstentions, in which Members of the European Parliament condemn systematic deportations, illegal adoptions, indoctrination and the militarization of Ukrainian minors by Moscow. In addition, they remind Russia that it has an obligation to respect the rights of all children under its control.
In the text, the Eurochamber emphasizes that the return of minors is a requirement of International Law and stresses that “it must never be used as a bargaining instrument” nor subordinated to territorial concessions, prisoner exchanges or other political agreements between Moscow and Kyiv.
According to the data included in the resolution, up to September 2026, 20,651 cases of deportation or forced transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia had been confirmed, while it is estimated that around 1.6 million minors still remain in areas under Russian occupation. Until last October 28, a total of 2,752 children who had been deported, forcibly transferred or rescued from occupied areas had managed to return.
Central place in peace negotiations
Members of the European Parliament insist that the return of all minors must be placed at the center of any diplomatic initiative to curb Russian aggression, understanding that “no lasting peace can ignore the rights of these children or the accountability of those responsible” for these violations.
Along these lines, they call on Member States to intensify cooperation with Ukraine and with international organizations in order to speed up the identification, location and repatriation of missing or deported minors, and to expand European sanctions against the officials and entities involved in these practices.
The European Parliament also reiterates its full support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and for the arrest warrants issued against the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the Russian presidential commissioner for the Rights of the Child, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the alleged war crime of deportation and illegal transfer of Ukrainian minors.
At the same time, the Eurochamber emphasizes that accountability must not be limited to the top Russian leadership, but must encompass “the entire chain of persons and entities” that have participated in or facilitated these deportations. For this reason, it advocates strengthening cooperation between Europol, Eurojust and the Ukrainian authorities in order to gather evidence and locate the missing children.