Not negotiable - Russia must return all abducted Ukrainian children

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament strongly condemns the violent actions of the Russian Federation and the role of Belarus against Ukrainian children and demands that their unconditional return, as well as the release of prisoners of war and civilian hostages, must be a precondition for the start of peace negotiations.

Killed, injured, sexually abused, kidnapped, transferred by force and deported, exploited and indoctrinated, tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been used as a weapon by Putin since the beginning of his illegal war against Ukraine.

Our political group urges the Commission and Member States to take an active role in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, as well as to utilise all available legal instruments to hold to account those responsible and impose additional targeted sanctions against individuals and entities involved in the violent actions against Ukrainian children.

Renew Europe MEP, Petras Auštrevičius (Lithuanian Liberal Movement), shadow rapporteur on Ukraine, who negotiated on behalf of our group an urgency resolution to be debated this evening in plenary and expected to be approved tomorrow, said:

“The abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children is part of Russia's open aggression against Ukraine and attempts to erase Ukrainian identity. There are many horrifying examples of Ukrainian children being indoctrinated and russified, and young people being given military training so that they can one day be used in a war against their own country. Europe must stick to its plan for Ukraine's victory and peace, which is based on the conditions set by the Ukrainian side and not by any other country, and make sure that the aggression against Ukraine is the last war Russia wages against its neighbours.”