Just peace must include return of abducted children to Ukraine - UK Prime Minister
Photo: Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister (Getty Images)
A peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia should include the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia to their homeland, Sky News reports, citing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
During a speech in the UK Parliament, the Head of the British government emphasized that he welcomes the progress in negotiations between Ukraine and the US.
"We must now redouble our efforts to get a lasting, secure peace," Starmer stressed.
UK Prime Minister reminded that on Saturday, he is gathering leaders from several countries to discuss how to achieve further progress in ending Russia's war against Ukraine.
Starmer also asserted that any agreement for a lasting peace in Ukraine must include the return of abducted children. He described the deportation of children as "an absolutely terrible case of abduction and kidnapping."
"And when we say a lasting, just settlement or peace in Ukraine, it must, of course, involve, dealing with this issue," the UK Prime Minister added.
Child deportation
In November of last year, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia had deported over 19,500 children.
In January, he revealed that during the summer of the previous year, Russia abducted about 3,000 children from the Kherson region, claiming they were sent for vacation.
