EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will co-host a high-level meeting in Brussels on 11 May to support efforts to trace and return Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand will co-chair the meeting alongside the EU representatives, the European Commission informed on Friday..
Ministers and senior officials from around 50 countries and international organisations are due to attend.
The meeting will focus on supporting Ukraine’s work to trace, return and reintegrate children described as forcibly transferred and unlawfully deported by Russia.
Participants are also expected to discuss coordinated sanctions against people deemed responsible for the transfers.
Leaders to send video messages
Video messages from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will open the event at 17:00 CEST, the Commission said.
A ministerial roundtable will follow, involving members of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children and representatives from around 20 guest countries.
The event will be livestreamed on the EU’s EBS audiovisual service, alongside a joint press conference with Kallas, Kos, Sybiha and Anand scheduled for around 16:40 CEST.
Earlier in the day, a screening of the documentary “After the Rain: Putin's Stolen Children Come Home” will be held, followed by a panel discussion with the film’s director and Ukrainian representatives.
The film will also be available for free for one month on the EU’s audiovisual portal.
