In April 2026, Ukraine continued its efforts to return unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred children, while strengthening international coordination, legal accountability, and global advocacy.
63 children were returned, bringing the total number of returned children to 2,126.
Key developments in April 2026:
🔹 Ukraine, Canada, and the European Union announced a high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children to be held on 11 May in Brussels, aimed at strengthening coordinated international action.
🔹 Civil Society and Expert Day was held in Kyiv, bringing together over 200 representatives of civil society, international organisations, and government to develop recommendations for the Coalition ahead of the Brussels meeting.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to every country that has joined the Coalition. "I want to thank every leader of the countries contributing to the effort, and every First Lady of countries that care and are concerned about the fate of abducted children. I thank our Bring Kids Back team. I am grateful to all diplomats, international organizations, and journalists who maintain focus on the rescue of children,” he said at the Civil Society and Expert Day event.
🔹 International partners reaffirmed that the return of Ukrainian children is non-negotiable, and called for stronger coordination of sanctions and accountability mechanisms.
🔹 41 Ukrainian organisations addressed a joint statement to Coalition members, calling for a clear roadmap, sustained pressure on Russia, and full support for international justice mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court.
🔹 Ukrainian and international experts emphasised that the return of children must not be subject to political negotiations and must be included as a core element of any future peace process.
🔹 International advocacy continued to grow: from high-level engagements to public campaigns raising awareness about the scale of deportations and the urgency of children’s return.
Ukraine has documented at least 20,570 cases of deportation or forced transfer of children. The real number is likely much higher.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children remain under Russian control.
There can be no just and lasting peace without the return of Ukrainian children.
#BringKidsBack #TrackingTheTaken