On April 30, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa took part in the panel discussion "Tracking and Verification" held as part of Civil Society and Expert Day.

The event, organized as part of the Ukrainian President’s ‘Bring Kids Back UA’ initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, aimed to develop expert recommendations ahead of the high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, scheduled to take place in Brussels on 11 May 2026.

The recommendations were presented by civil society to Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha.

During the discussion, the Deputy Minister drew attention to the unprecedented nature of the crime of child deportation committed by the Russian Federation, emphasizing that to date, more than 20,000 confirmed cases of unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children by the aggressor state have been recorded.

"Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children is a war crime. And Russia must be held accountable for it. The return of all our children is an essential condition for establishing a just peace in Ukraine," the Deputy Minister stated.

Mariana Betsa emphasized the importance of the international community exerting pressure on Russia – political, diplomatic and economic.  In this context, the resolution "Return of Ukrainian Children," adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 3, 2025, sends a clear signal — the world recognizes the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children as a gross violation of international law and demands their immediate, safe, and unconditional return.

The diplomat emphasized that the resolution provides the necessary mandate for the UN Secretary-General to take action, including through the involvement of his Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. 

The Deputy Minister paid particular attention to the role of civil society, including in ensuring swift and flexible cooperation with the state on the issue of the return of Ukrainian children.

Mariana Betsa called on the international community to increase pressure on Russia in order to secure access for international organizations to Ukrainian children. She also underscored the importance of expanding support for analytical and OSINT capabilities, strengthening data-sharing between states, deepening investment in the national tracking and verification system, and intensifying international pressure on Russia to compel it to disclose information about deported and displaced children.

"The return of every child home is a matter of humanity and compassion. There can be no neutrality on this issue," Mariana Betsa emphasized.