Congo to help return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia - Office of President
Photo: DR Congo representative Chantal Shambu Mwavita arrives in Ukraine (president.gov.ua)
The Democratic Republic of Congo is joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, an initiative launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the official website of the President of Ukraine.
DR Congo’s decision to join the Bring Kids Back UA coalition was announced by government representative Chantal Shambu Mwavita during a meeting with Daria Herasymchuk, adviser and commissioner of the president of Ukraine for children’s rights and rehabilitation.
In the talks, Herasymchuk outlined the mass cases of deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia, as well as Ukraine’s efforts to secure their return. She also presented President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
The commissioner stressed that only united global efforts can effectively counter the crimes of child abduction.
"Russia is abducting Ukrainian children, changing their names and documents, imposing a false identity, and scattering them across remote regions. This is an attempt to erase the national identity of an entire generation. The protection of children knows no borders," she said.
For her part, Chantal Shambu Mwavita confirmed that the Democratic Republic of Congo is beginning the procedure of joining the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. With this step, the coalition will expand to 42 countries plus the Council of Europe.
"We share Ukraine’s pain for its children, as children of the Democratic Republic of Congo have suffered from war for 30 years," she said.
DR Congo’s vast natural resources have long fueled corruption and armed conflict, with militias, local insurgents, and external actors vying for control. The country has endured conflict for more than three decades, dating back to the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
Abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has forcibly taken more than 19,500 children from Ukraine. Over 1,000 have already been returned home, with work ongoing. The issue remains one of the key items on the international agenda.
The global community continues to highlight Russia’s crimes. US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned that Washington could designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism if abducted Ukrainian children are not returned. US president Donald Trump raised the issue with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who insisted that every Ukrainian child taken by Russia must be reunited with their family.
Recently, the US first Lady Melania Trump conveyed a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin through her husband. The letter raised concerns about the safety and well-being of children and argued that, in her view, Putin could resolve the issue "with a single stroke of the pen."
