Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė is calling on more countries to join efforts to return Ukrainian children deported by Russia.
“We need more countries to take action - to contribute politically, financially, and practically. To create the conditions for the return of Ukrainian children, to invest in reintegration, and to strengthen accountability,” Ruginienė said.
The Prime Minister expressed this position in a commentary published on Monday by the Ukrainian outlet The Kyiv Independent.
“We need political courage to maintain pressure, and practical determination to ensure that decisions lead to results,” she stated.
According to the Prime Minister, this issue is important not only for Ukraine but for all of Europe.
“This is not only about Ukraine, but about the Europe we want to live in, and the world we are committed to defending,” she said. “Ukrainian children are not only Ukraine’s responsibility. They are also Europe’s responsibility. And today, more than ever, Europe must prove that its principles have real meaning - that no child is left behind.”
Ruginienė stressed that Lithuania firmly believes all Ukrainian children deported by Russia must be brought home.
“Lithuania’s position is simple but firm: children come first,” she said.
“We believe that every child must return home - and this requires more than statements of support. It requires functioning systems, effective partnerships, and strong political will. That is why we are working not only to keep this issue high on the international agenda, but also to turn political will into practical action,” she added.
Working with Ukrainian institutions and international partners, Lithuania helps identify, locate, and verify children who have been deported or forcibly transferred.
Lithuania also contributes to their return by ensuring safe transit, proper documentation, medical care, and protection at every stage.
However, the return of children, Ruginienė noted, is only the beginning.
“The experiences of these children do not end the moment they cross the border and return home. Recovery requires time, care, and stability,” she emphasized.
“Lithuania is investing in this next stage - restoring child and family centres, providing housing, strengthening the foster care system, and cooperating with Ukrainian and international partners to deliver trauma‑informed support. We are also opening our society - welcoming children, supporting their physical and psychological recovery, and giving them a space where they can feel safe again,” she said.
According to the Prime Minister, Lithuania will propose concrete solutions - support for civil society organizations involved in locating and returning individuals, additional resources for international mechanisms, and a strong commitment to continue implementing the Better Care reform.
Lithuanian news agency BNS previously reported that Lithuania has committed €10 million to initiatives related to the return of abducted Ukrainian children.
Ukrainian officials say the country is documenting thousands of cases of children being illegally taken to Russia. Kyiv describes this practice as one of the most sensitive humanitarian crises.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, arguing that he is responsible for the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian civilians, including children, from occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia.
As of late last year, Russia had officially deported or forcibly transferred around 20,000 Ukrainian children.
