European Commission - Directorate General for Energy
European Commission - Directorate General for Energy
05/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/08/2026 05:44
EU, Ukraine and Canada to co-host high-level meeting on return of Ukrainian children
On Monday, 11 May, High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, on behalf of the EU, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada Anita Anand, will co-host the high-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.
The event will gather ministers and senior representatives from around 50 countries and international organisations to further support Ukraine's efforts to trace, return, and reintegrate the children that were forcibly transferred and unlawfully deported by Russia, while ensuring accountability for Russia's actions. Participants will also discuss ways to step up coordinated sanctions against those responsible for these heinous acts.
The high-level meeting will open at 17:00 CEST with video messages from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney. These will be followed by a ministerial roundtable discussion with Coalition members, as well as representatives from around 20 guest countries. The meeting will conclude with closing remarks from the co-chairs.
The entire event will be livestreamed on EBS, alongside a joint press conference with High Representative Kallas, Commissioner Kos, Minister Sybiha and Minister Anand at +/-16:40 CEST.
Earlier in the day, a screening of the documentary 'After the Rain: Putin's Stolen Children Come Home' will take place, followed by a panel discussion featuring the film's director, Ukrainian representatives and other distinguished speakers. The film will also be available for viewing on the audiovisual portal for one month free of charge.
More information on efforts by the EU and international community to bring Ukrainian children home is available online.
(For more information: Guillaume Mercier - Tel.: +32 2 298 05 64; Anouar El Anouni - Tel: +32 2 291 35 80; Yuliya Matsyk - Tel: +32 2 296 27 16)
European Commission - Directorate General for Energy published this content on May 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 08, 2026 at 11:44 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]