Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 10, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Melania Trump collaborates with Putin to reunite children affected by the Ukraine war with their families. Some have already returned home.
By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. first lady Melania Trump said she had secured an open line of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin about repatriating children caught up in the Ukrainian war, and that some have been returned to their families with more to be reunited soon.
"This remains an ongoing effort," she told reporters at the White House on Friday. She said Putin had responded to her letter earlier this year and that they remained in touch.
"President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication about the welfare of these children," she said. "For the past few months, both sides have participated in several back channel meetings and calls."
The first lady said her representative was working directly with Putin's team to secure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine.
Eight children had been returned to their families within the last 24 hours, she said.
President Trump has expressed frustration in recent weeks for not ending the war in Ukraine, which he had promised as a candidate to do within a day.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Susan Heavey; editing by Doina Chiacu, Ross Colvin and Alistair Bell)
Humanitarian aid refers to assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to crises such as natural disasters or conflicts, aimed at saving lives, alleviating suffering, and maintaining human dignity.
An international organization is an entity established by multiple countries to address common issues, promote cooperation, and facilitate communication on matters such as security, trade, and humanitarian efforts.
Repatriation is the process of returning individuals, such as refugees or displaced persons, to their home country, often after a conflict or crisis, ensuring their safety and reintegration.
A back channel is an informal communication method used to discuss sensitive topics or negotiations discreetly, often outside of official or public channels, to facilitate understanding or agreement.
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