A five-year-old boy has returned to Russia. In 2020, he remained with his father in Ukraine; for various reasons, his mother was unable to take him. In March 2026, she learned of the boy’s father’s death, and the Office of the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights facilitated their reunification. Additionally, with the Office’s support, another mother was able to come to Russia to collect her daughter, and three more children were reunited with their relatives in Ukraine and Germany.
In Moscow, Maria Lvova-Belova, Chair of the Children’s Protection Fund, met with the children and accompanying adults. She reiterated that humanitarian efforts to reunite families are carried out at the instruction of the President, based on requests from parents or close relatives who have the necessary legal grounds, and with due consideration for the children’s interests and all the circumstances of each case.
Maria Lvova-Belova offered particular thanks to the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, for her active involvement in reuniting children with their families and also acknowledged the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
In total, with the mediation of the Office of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, 31 children from 23 families have been reunited with relatives in Russia, and 145 children from 118 families have been reunited with relatives in Ukraine and third countries. With the support of Melania Trump, 33 children have been reunited with their families in Russia, Ukraine and third countries.