First Lady Works with President Putin to Facilitate Family Reunifications

Washington, D.C. – October 8, 2025

U.S. First Lady Melania Trump announced on Wednesday that she has been personally involved in negotiations to secure the release of Ukrainian children taken during the war, working directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to facilitate their return.

In a rare public statement on foreign affairs, Mrs. Trump revealed that her office had established an open channel of communication with the Kremlin to address the growing international outcry over Ukrainian minors separated from their families and taken into Russian controlled territories since the start of the 2022 invasion.

“Some of these children have already been reunited with their families,” she said during a press briefing. “And more will be returning home soon. It is my mission to support the reunification of every child with their rightful family until each individual returns home.”

The First Lady did not provide exact figures but confirmed that multiple cases of successful repatriation have already taken place, with the assistance of humanitarian groups and intermediaries in neutral countries.

A Diplomatic Breakthrough

The announcement comes amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Moscow, and signals a rare instance of cooperation between the U.S. and Russia on a deeply emotional and politically charged issue.

International watchdogs and Ukrainian officials have long accused Russia of illegally transferring children including orphans and those separated from parents during evacuations across the border, in violation of international law.

Mrs. Trump’s involvement has added a high profile humanitarian dimension to an issue previously dominated by political and military concerns.

“This is about children, not politics,” she said. “These young lives deserve to be with their families, not caught in the middle of conflict.”

Global Reactions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not yet commented on the First Lady’s announcement, but officials in Kyiv have repeatedly called for an international effort to locate and return missing children.

Meanwhile, humanitarian groups have cautiously welcomed the development, while urging transparency and ongoing monitoring to ensure the children’s safe and lawful return.

As Melania Trump continues her efforts behind the scenes, many now see her role as pivotal in breaking diplomatic deadlock on one of the war’s most painful human stories.