February 11 — Council of Europe
On 11 February, the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to the Council of Europe organized and held a joint act of solidarity with Ukraine in support of the President of Ukraine’s initiative Bring Kids Back UA.
Permanent Representatives of member states and observers, together with the leadership of the Organization, took a symbolic photo wearing initiative sweatshirts. This sent a clear signal of international unity: the return of every Ukrainian child is a shared priority.
Participants included:
▪️ Bjørn Berge — Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe
▪️ Marta Kos — European Commissioner for Enlargement
▪️ Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir — Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, on the situation of children of Ukraine
▪️ Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis — Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
▪️ Mykola Tochytskyi — Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe
Since November 2024, the Council of Europe has been a member of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. The Coalition calls on Russia to:
🔹 immediately and unconditionally return all illegally deported and forcibly transferred children
🔹 provide full and reliable information on their whereabouts, health condition, and legal status
🔹 stop the change of identity, illegal adoption, indoctrination, and militarization of Ukrainian children
On 9 July 2025, the European Court of Human Rights, in the case Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, found Russia responsible for mass human rights violations, including the unlawful removal of Ukrainian children.
In September 2025, the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine introduced a separate category of claims concerning crimes against children, including deportation and forced transfer.
The Council of Europe continues to work to protect the rights, safety, and dignity of Ukrainian children, supporting Ukraine in locating them, securing their return, and restoring family links.
The return of every Ukrainian child is an unconditional humanitarian priority for the international community.