The militarization of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia represents a long-term threat to the entire world. This was stated by Dariia Zarivna, Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA and Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, during the panel discussion "The Fight to Return Ukraine’s Stolen Children", held at the GLOBSEC 2025 Security Forum.
She emphasized that the return of deported children is not only a humanitarian issue, but also an element of global security.
“Russia is militarizing Ukrainian children who are under occupation and preparing them for service in the aggressor’s army. This is not only a violation of international law – it is a long-term threat to the entire world. If this practice is not stopped, it may become a horrifying new norm in future conflicts,” the Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President stated.
Dariia Zarivna noted that, under the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, 1,359 children have already been returned. She also stressed the importance of supporting the reintegration process after children’s return.
“Each child is returned to a family – either biological or foster. They receive an individual support plan and assistance from psychologists, social workers, lawyers, and educators. We are building a comprehensive multi-sectoral support system,” she said.
Special attention was also drawn to the need to return abducted children whose names were included in the initial list Ukraine submitted to the Russian Federation during negotiations in Istanbul as part of trust-building measures.
