First Lady Melania Trump has revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally responded to her letter expressing concern for children affected by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking at the White House on Friday, Mrs. Trump said her “open channel of communication” with President Putin resulted in the reunification of several Ukrainian children with their families.
The First Lady’s “peace letter” was hand-delivered to President Putin during his visit to Alaska in August. Portions of the letter, later shared by President Donald Trump on social media, show Mrs. Trump urging Putin to protect children caught in the conflict, writing that such actions “will serve humanity itself.”
“Eight children have been rejoined with their families during the past 24 hours,” Mrs. Trump said, addressing reporters in front of American flags. “Each child has endured hardship and uncertainty because of the war in Ukraine.”
According to the First Lady, three of the reunited children had been displaced to Russia due to front-line fighting, while one girl was returned from Ukraine to Russia. Both Ukrainian and Russian authorities cooperated in facilitating these reunifications, she added, noting that she received a detailed report containing photographs and verified identities of the children.
“The U.S. government has confirmed the facts,” Mrs. Trump said, emphasizing that she has “learned a great deal about this matter” since sending her letter. She confirmed that Putin responded in writing.
In her letter, Mrs. Trump wrote, “Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart… They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.”
The announcement marks a continuation of the First Lady’s advocacy for children, which began with her BE BEST initiative in January 2021—an awareness campaign centered on children’s well-being worldwide.
Earlier this year, she also championed the Take It Down Act, legislation banning revenge porn. After its passage, she described it as “a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children.”
According to Ukraine’s Children of War database, more than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly displaced to Russia or Russian-occupied territories since February 2022, with just over 1,600 successfully reunited with their families so far.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for President Putin and Russia’s Children’s Rights Commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, for allegedly overseeing the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children—an accusation Moscow denies, insisting the relocations were humanitarian efforts to protect children from the conflict.
Source:Africa Publicity
