EU, Ukraine, and Canada Set May 11 Brussels Meeting on Returning 20,570 Ukrainian Children Taken by Russia
Kyiv's official Children of War portal has identified 20,570 children deported or forcibly transferred since Russia's 2022 invasion; only 2,108 have been returned. The International Coalition, now 47 members strong, will meet in Brussels on May 11 to expand the tracing and return effort.
The European Union, Ukraine, and Canada announced Tuesday that they will co-host a high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children in Brussels on May 11, 2026.
The meeting will be co-chaired by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU High Representative and Vice-President Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, according to the European External Action Service.
The scale
Ukraine's official Children of War portal, operated by the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, lists the following figures for the period 24 February 2022 to 22 April 2026:
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Deported and/or forcibly displaced | 20,570 |
| Returned | 2,108 |
| Killed | 700 |
| Wounded | 2,470 |
| Missing | 2,309 |
| Found | 52,494 |
| Sexually abused | 23 |
The portal notes that "it is impossible to establish the exact number of injured children due to active hostilities and the temporary occupation of a part of Ukrainian territory."
The Coalition
The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was launched in Kyiv on February 2, 2024 and is co-chaired by Ukraine and Canada. The EU joined as a full member in September 2025. The Coalition now comprises 47 countries and international organisations and functions as the diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian clearing house for efforts to trace, repatriate, and reintegrate children taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territory.
Canada's foreign affairs ministry describes its role as organising the Coalition, facilitating dialogue and information exchange, and providing technical expertise and resources. Approximately 1,600 children had been returned as of the most recent Canadian government update; Ukraine's portal now tracks 2,108 returns.
The May 11 meeting
On May 11 in Brussels, partners will review the work of the Coalition, coordinate tracing and return operations, and "discuss accountability for Russia's crimes," per the EEAS announcement. A preparatory Civil Society Expert Day is scheduled for April 30 in Kyiv, where recommendations will be drafted for discussion at the ministerial-level meeting.
Legal backdrop
On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova for the war crime of unlawful deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. Both warrants remain outstanding.
