According to Kiev, more than 16,000 children have been deported from areas of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Ukraine claims that the children were handed over to foster families and institutions. Russia, however, denies it.
Pope Francis assured that the Vatican will be able to help in the return of Ukrainian children who have been forcibly taken to Russia. He affirmed that in the Holy See “there is a mission under way” for this, but he did not give more details about it.
This position of the religious became known after his return from a three-day trip to Hungary. Journalists asked him about Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal’s request to help bring back children taken to Russia. The Pope confirmed that it can be done.
The highest religious authority considered that this could be done “because the Holy See has already worked as an intermediary in some of the situations of prisoner exchange through the Embassy (Russian before the Holy See) and I think it can also work on this” .
In this sense, he also pointed out that “the Holy See is always willing to do everything for just causes and help” in cases like this, “which are cases of humanity.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday, April 28, that he had requested the help of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to repatriate Ukrainian children deported by Russia since Moscow troops invaded their country. He said the following: “We need everyone to get involved… to put pressure on the Russian aggressor and the terrorists who kidnapped so many of our children.”
Zelensky also specified that the UN and “many others” want to do something, but so far the results have been “poor,” he said.
According to Kiev, more than 16,000 children have been deported from areas of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Ukraine claims that the children were handed over to foster families and institutions.
Russia denies these accusations and claims that the children were transferred to Russian territories to save them from the horrors of war.
With information from Deutsche Welle.
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