Melania Trump announces that eight Ukrainian children have been reunited with their families

First lady Melania Trump announced Friday that eight Ukrainian children displaced during the ongoing war with Russia have been reunited with their families.

“Each child has lived in turmoil because of the war in Ukraine. Three were separated from their parents and moved to the Russian Federation because of fighting on the front lines. The other five were separated from family members across borders because of the conflict, including a young girl who has now been reunited from Ukraine to Russia,” Melania Trump said.

The First Lady added that some minors displaced during the war have since reached adulthood and reside in Russia, but their safe return requires “coordinated assistance.”

UKRAINE STOLEN CHILD CRISIS TAKES GREAT MEASURE AS NATO MEETS ON WAR IN RUSSIA

First lady Melania Trump speaks in the Grand Foyer of the White House, Friday, October 10, 2025, in Washington, DC (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

“My current mission is two-fold: to prioritize and optimize the transparent and free flow of health information regarding all children who have been victims of this war, and to facilitate the reunification of children with their families until every individual returns home,” Trump said.

The First Lady stressed that this is part of an ongoing process and that plans are already underway to reunite more children with their families.

“A child’s soul knows no borders or flags. We must foster a future for our children that is full of potential, security, and agency. A world where dreams come true rather than being shattered by war,” Trump said.

In this photo provided by Ukrainian emergency services, emergency service personnel work to put out a fire following a Russian attack in Brovary, near kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, October 10, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

Trump praises Melania’s ‘nice note’ to Putin, says Zelenskyy brought letter from wife to first lady

In August, Trump wrote a “letter of peace” to Russian President Vladimir Putin telling him “it is time” to protect children and future generations around the world.

“As parents, it is our duty to nurture the hope of the next generation. As leaders, the responsibility to support our children extends beyond the comfort of a few. Undeniably, we must strive to paint a world filled with dignity for all – so that every soul can awaken to peace and the future itself is perfectly guarded,” Trump wrote in the letter, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital.

“By protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone: ​​you will serve humanity itself,” she continued. “Such a bold idea transcends all human divisions, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with the stroke of a pen today.”

The first lady delivered the letter to President Donald Trump and asked him to hand deliver it to Putin during their high-stakes summit in Alaska.

Trump said Friday that Putin responded to her letter in writing and expressed his willingness to engage directly with her, while providing details regarding Ukrainian children residing in Russia. The first lady said she and Putin have had an “open channel of communication regarding the well-being of these children” since she wrote the letter. She added that both sides participated in the meetings and calls “in good faith.”

“My representative has worked directly with President Putin’s team to ensure safe connections between children and their families between Russia and Ukraine,” she said.

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after their arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, August 15, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP;Getty Images)

SENS KLOBUCHAR AND GRASSLEY: AMERICA CANNOT IGNORE RUSSIA KIDNAPPING UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

Friday, in a joint announcementSenators Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said the Recovery and Accountability for Abducted Ukrainian Children Act was passed by the Senate as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. The legislation follows a bipartisan resolution the senators led in May that condemned the kidnapping of Ukrainian children by Russia.

“The Recovery and Accountability for Abducted Ukrainian Children Act would strengthen support for Ukraine’s efforts to investigate and find the more than 19,000 Ukrainian children who were abducted during Putin’s brutal invasion, assist in the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who are returned, and ensure justice and accountability for the perpetrators of these abductions,” the statement said common.

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The joint statement said there have been at least 19,546 confirmed reports of illegal expulsions and forced transfers of Ukrainian children to Russia, Belarus or Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. Additionally, the senators said that as of October 9, only 1,600 abducted children had been returned thanks to the efforts of Ukraine and its partners.

This is a developing story. Please check again for updates.