First Lady Melania Trump revealed on Friday that she is in communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin about efforts to reunite Ukrainian children who have been displaced by the ongoing war with their families.
In an unusual speech, she detailed her initiative, which began last August when she reached out to Putin with a letter expressing her concern for children who have been separated from their families due to the conflict.
“A lot has been revealed since President Putin got my letter last August. He replied in writing, showing his willingness to have a direct conversation with me and sharing information about Ukrainian children in Russia,” Melania Trump stated during her address from the White House.
“Since then, we have maintained open lines of communication about the welfare of these children,” she added. “In recent months, our teams have engaged in several discreet meetings and calls, aiming to work together for the benefit of everyone affected by this war.”
The First Lady mentioned that eight Ukrainian children had been reunited with their families within the last 24 hours. She specified that three had been separated during the fighting and sent to Russia, while five had crossed the border away from their families due to the conflict.
Furthermore, she noted that Russia is set to return individuals who were evacuated as minors during the war and have now reached adulthood, within a “short period of time.”
Melania Trump commented, “This is an ongoing effort. We are already planning to reunite more children soon.” She added a hopeful sentiment, “I wish for peace to come soon. It all begins with our children.”
According to the Ukrainian government, over 19,000 children have been expelled or transferred from Ukraine to Russia since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.
Meanwhile, former President Trump has been attempting to negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine for months, though he has yet to achieve any significant breakthroughs, despite asserting during the 2024 campaign that a resolution could be found within his first day back in office.
He invited Putin to meet in Alaska last August, but they did not reach any specific agreements on halting hostilities. Trump has also held discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in efforts to apply pressure on Russia, which includes pushing European nations to halt purchases of Russian oil and gas.
