U.S. allocates $25 million to trace and rehabilitate Ukrainian children abducted by Russia

The U.S. Department of State is providing $25 million in new assistance to support the identification, return, and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children forcibly relocated to Russian-controlled territories, as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.

According to the media note, the “Department of State continues to support President Trump’s efforts to bring about durable peace and prosperity in Ukraine through new assistance programming to aid the return of Ukrainian children forcibly relocated to Russian-controlled territories.”

In coordination with Congress, the Department of State is providing $25 million in new assistance to support the identification, return, and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children and youth who have been forcibly transferred or otherwise held away from their families and communities.

“U.S. funding will support two primary types of programs. First, it will assist reliable partners to identify and track children who have been forcibly transferred away from their homes, an essential step in supporting diplomatic and other efforts to facilitate their return. Second, it will support the Ukrainian government and trusted local partners to provide returned children with the care and support they need to recover and rebuild their lives,” the U.S. Department of State explained.

It reiterated that President Donald Trump has made clear that tragic bloodshed in Ukraine must stop, and his Administration remains “fully committed to securing a lasting peace.” 

To provide background, Russia has forcibly deported thousands of Ukrainian children to Russian-controlled territories since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in March 2023 for the alleged war crime of unlawful deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine.

In March 2026, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, established by the UN Human Rights Council, determined that Russian authorities deported or forcibly displaced at least 1,205 Ukrainian children from occupied territories. Experts concluded that these actions constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the enforced disappearance of children, as the Russian Federation failed to inform families of their whereabouts and obstructed their return home.

Russian authorities have systematically withheld children’s whereabouts from parents or legal guardians and have kept children in coercive environments, making their return to families almost impossible.

The Commission further reaffirmed its earlier finding that Russia’s actions constitute war crimes of deportation and forcible transfer under the Fourth Geneva Convention, and additionally concluded that the failure to facilitate repatriation amounts to the distinct war crime of unjustifiable delay in the return of civilians. These acts engage Article 7 (2) (a) (vii) (crimes against humanity) and Article 8 (2) (a) (vii) (war crimes) of the Rome Statute.

Detailed findings are set out in conference room paper A/HRC/61/CRP.8, “I Am Still Looking for My Daughter”: Crimes Against Humanity Committed by Russian Authorities Against Children from Ukraine.

On March 20, 2026, Belarussian state media agency Belta reported that the de facto leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said – citing talks with U.S. Special Envoy John Coale – that First Lady Melania Trump had passed him a list of Ukrainian children he described as allegedly “lost in Russia as a result of the war”, requesting that he raise the matter with Vladimir Putin to find the children. Lukashenko said he would transmit the list but stated he would not press Putin on the issue. There is no reliable confirmation that Melania Trump handed over lists of abducted children to Lukashenko.

On March 14, Norway and Canada stated that they will continue to work together with allies to operationalise their commitment to robust security guarantees for Ukraine, including strengthening military support and backing for reconstruction efforts, while coordinating on sanctions and their enforcement, including countering Russia’s shadow fleet. Both countries stressed that they remain committed to ⁠sanctions targeting oil revenues, as energy exports remain one of the Kremlin’s primary sources of funding for its war. Any easing of these measures risks undermining collective efforts to constrain Russia’s war machine.

Canada and Norway reaffirm their shared commitment to addressing the human dimension of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including securing the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war, as well as civilians unlawfully detained and children deported or forcibly transferred by Russia. To that end, Canada and Norway, in coordination with Ukraine, announced they will organise a Ministerial Conference to be held in Toronto on September 28–29, 2026.

On 25 March 2026, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held a hearing on Russia’s forcible transfer of Ukrainian children.

Expert witnesses who participated in the hearing urged stronger support for international accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court and the newly established Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine. They emphasized the need for sustained political, financial, and diplomatic backing to ensure these institutions can investigate and prosecute those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. Witnesses also called on the United States to deepen engagement with United Nations bodies and international investigations documenting abuses in Ukraine.

Participants highlighted the importance of imposing and enforcing sanctions, particularly targeting Russia’s oil and gas sector, which they said finances both the war effort and the system responsible for the transfer and indoctrination of Ukrainian children. Several speakers pointed to legislative initiatives in Congress aimed at tightening restrictions on Russian energy revenues and urged their swift adoption, arguing that economic pressure remains a key tool to curb ongoing violations and hold perpetrators accountable.

In addition, witnesses stressed that the identification, return, and rehabilitation of abducted Ukrainian children must remain a central and non-negotiable priority in any diplomatic efforts. They called for increased funding for programs that track deported children and support their reintegration, as well as broader international coordination to secure their release. Ensuring accountability, they said, should go hand in hand with efforts to provide long-term psychosocial support.