Six abducted children return to Ukraine
Russia is said to have abducted tens of thousands of Ukrainian children. Qatar is now arranging the return of abducted children to Ukraine for the second time. Six children aged between 8 and 15 have been reunited with their families.
According to Qatar, it has arranged the return of six more Ukrainian children from Russia to their families in Ukraine. The Gulf state "facilitated the reunification of six more Ukrainian children with their families in time for the holidays", explained Lolwah Al-Chater, the Qatari Minister of State responsible for international cooperation.
"Both sides have cooperated fully and participated sincerely throughout the process." The six children, aged between eight and 15, are the second group of minors to be returned from Russia as part of a Doha-brokered deal. The minors were first taken to the Qatari embassy. From there, they will travel via Minsk in Belarus to the Ukrainian capital Kiev. According to the authorities, the children will be accompanied by Qatari diplomats to the Ukrainian border, where they will be met by Ukrainian officials.
Among the six minors is an eleven-year-old whose mother, a Ukrainian soldier, is still being held in Russia. Ukraine accuses Russia of abducting 20,000 children into Russian territory. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his child rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in March.
Russia, which is not a member of the ICC, rejects the accusations - the Kremlin claims to want to protect the children from the fighting. Qatar has recently been at the center of negotiations in numerous international conflicts. For example, the country played an important mediating role in the talks between Israel and the radical Islamic group Hamas, which led to the release of the hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza war that has since expired.
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- The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his child rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in March, alleging War crimes related to the abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russian territory.
- Despite Russia's denials and rejection of these accusations, the Gulf state of Qatar has been actively involved in arranging the return of abducted Ukrainian children to their families, having previously facilitated the return of six children and now welcoming another group of six.
- Amidst ongoing tensions and the Ukraine conflict, Qatar has demonstrated its commitment to diplomatic efforts in resolving international conflicts and protecting vulnerable populations, as seen in its role in the release of hostages and ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza war.
- These recent efforts in aiding the return of Ukrainian children to their families underscores the widespread condemnation of Russia's actions, with many nations and international organizations calling for accountability for the war crimes committed during the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine.
- The attack on Ukraine and its people has garnered worldwide attention and support, leading to diplomatic pressure on Russia and highlighting the need for international cooperation to uphold human rights and address such conflicts in the future.
Source: www.ntv.de
