Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday thanked First Lady Melania Trump for “her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war — the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia.”
Zelensky’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, also wrote a letter of thanks to Mrs. Trump.
Melania Trump had written a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday asking him to protect the innocence of children by restoring peace.
“In today’s world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them — a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future. Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter,” the first lady wrote.
“In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself,” she wrote. “Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today. It is time.”
Mrs. Trump’s letter was hand-delivered to Putin by her husband, President Donald Trump, during their meeting in Alaska on Friday.
Melania Trump’s letter did not mention Ukraine by name, or distinguish between different groups of innocent children made to suffer by Putin’s war, but the context was unmistakable. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023 in connection with the abduction of Ukrainian children by invading Russian forces. Putin’s “commissioner for children’s rights,” Maria Alekseyevna, was also named in the warrant.
ICC President Judge Piotr Hofmanski noted at the time that “children enjoy special protection under the Geneva Convention” and international law forbids “occupying powers to transfer civilians from the territory where they live to other territories.”
President Zelensky was not reluctant to frame Melania Trump’s letter in the context of Ukraine’s missing children.
“This issue lies at the heart of the war’s humanitarian tragedy — our children, broken families, the pain of separation. At least 20,000 children were taken,” Zelensky said.
“I asked President Trump to pass along a letter of gratitude from Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, to Melania. Her voice matters, and her care gives strength to this cause,” he said.
Zelensky vowed his government is “working tirelessly to bring every child home.”
“The same applies for our prisoners of war and civilians held in Russia for years, some since 2014, in very bad conditions. Thousands of people still need to be freed – and this is a part of making peace,” he said.
“We will work to negotiate all-for-all prisoners of war exchange, and we are grateful to have strong friends who help,” he concluded, tagging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in his message of gratitude to Melania Trump.
President Trump said on Monday he has been “discussing the massive worldwide problem of missing children” with von der Leyen.
“This is, likewise, a big subject with my wife, Melania. It is a subject at the top of all lists, and the world will work together to solve it, hopefully bringing them home to their families!” he declared.