Vladimir Zelensky drew the world’s attention to Russia’s shameful actions in the context of crimes against Ukrainian children
During a joint press conference in Vienna with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, the Ukrainian leader strongly emphasized that Moscow is openly violating norms of international law and humanity by proposing exchanges of prisoners of war for abducted Ukrainian children. According to the president, behind this shameful scenario, which deepens the wounds of the Ukrainian nation, lies a cynical approach by Russia that disregards moral and legal standards. “The Russians offered to exchange our prisoners of war for Ukrainian children abducted and taken from Ukrainian territory. This is a violation of international law and human values, an ignoring of basic principles of humanism,” Zelensky stated. He stressed that such an approach is characteristic of Russian policy, which is based solely on ignoring laws and morality, and called on the global community to be vigilant regarding these crimes. “Of course, our duty is to bring our children home. This is a challenge and our priority. It requires not just diplomatic skill but the ability to act wisely and persistently on the international stage,” the president noted. He emphasized that Ukraine is intensively working with the international community, engaging hundreds of countries and independent initiative organizations in the process of returning the children. According to Zelensky, the Ukrainian authorities have already done a lot to bring home abducted children through diplomatic channels and international mechanisms. “We have united efforts in many countries around the world to return thousands of our children, taken by Russian occupiers from destroyed towns and villages, to eliminate Ukrainian identity and the future of our nation,” he added. At the same time, the president pointed out that any progress in this direction results from persistent and systematic work involving diplomats, human rights defenders, and international organizations. Ukraine strives for a joint and decisive resolution of this issue and urges the world community to remain vigilant, preventing the aggressor state from escalating its criminal actions into an even more horrifying direction. Zelensky assured that Ukraine will do everything possible to return Ukrainian children home and called on the world to help in this difficult but the only right path toward justice and humanity. The united voice of Ukraine and the international community must become a strong deterrent against any efforts to violate international law and to enslave human lives and destinies. Depending on the resolve and joint efforts, we can bring back from captivity those Ukrainian children who are currently fighting for their lives and future, remaining symbols of human and humane resistance against evil in general.