The EC, together with Poland and Ukraine, is intensifying its efforts to locate Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, a situation described by the Commission as “deeply concerning”. The Commission is working closely with both countries to help bring the children home safely.
The European Commission (EC) has revealed that 16,200 Ukrainian children have been deported by Russia, with only 300 returning home thus far. This was reported in an EC tweet on Monday. The EC also expressed its concern over the issue, calling it an “alarming” situation.
“Their abduction and change of status – including nationality – are war crimes,” the EC added.
The European Commission has declared that the abduction and alteration of the status of individuals, including their nationality, is a violation of international law. The EC emphasized that such actions are considered war crimes.
EC has announced plans to hold a conference to find out the location of children who have been deported from their homes. The EC has pledged to help the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations to locate these children, and to provide information about their situation.
The purpose of the conference is to come up with innovative solutions and strategies to locate these missing children and reunite them with their families. The EC has stated that it is essential to act quickly and do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of these vulnerable children.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the country’s Children’s Ombudsman, Marya Lvova-Byelova, on charges of war crimes related to the forced deportation of children from areas in Ukraine held by Russia. The warrants were issued in mid-March.
Last week, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, condemned the deportations of children as a “horrible reminder of the darkest periods in European history”, calling them a “war crime.” She declared the warrants for these deportations to be fully justified.