By KYIV. Nov 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) –Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a meeting of the Coordinating Council of Ukraine for the Protection and Safety of Children, with the participation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, representatives of UN structures, ambassadors of the G20 countries, during the meeting the forcible deportation of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation was discussed, as well as the crimes committed by the aggressor.
"Our goal is to stop the forced transfer or deportation of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation and take all necessary measures for their safe return and family reunification in accordance with the interests of the child and international law," Yermak said during a meeting on Monday.
The UN Secretary General said cases of forced deportations of children are known and called for access to those who are on the territory of Russia.
Guterres said "we know about children who were taken to Russian territory. These cases should be thoroughly investigated. It is impossible to agree to the simplification of the procedure for obtaining citizenship, which leads to the simplification of the adoption of children by Russian families. We must demand access to Ukrainian children who are on the territory of the Russian Federation."
The UN Secretary General also said UNICEF and the High Commissioner for Human Rights will use all means to work in this direction.
In addition, during the meeting, actions were discussed that can help stop the crimes of the Russian Federation against the children of Ukraine.
"In particular, it can be assistance in establishing the whereabouts of children using the mechanism of involving a third country, since Ukraine’s diplomatic relations with Russia are severed," the statement said.
It is noted that Russia "should provide UN bodies and international organizations with complete information about Ukrainian children forcibly taken or deported to Russia."
It is also important to disseminate a call for the immediate abolition of the simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for orphans from Ukraine, as well as children left without parental care.
"In addition, it was proposed to consider the possibility of involving the International Committee of the Red Cross in order to return the deported minor citizens of Ukraine and identify UN structures that can take part in this process," the statement said.
