European Parliament Demands That Belarus And Russia Disclose Information On Deported Ukrainian Children
Reform.news Editorial Team · 12 November 2026, 18:59
https://reform.news/en/european-parliament-demands-that-belarus-and-russia-disclose-information-on-deported-ukrainian-children/The European Parliament has called on the authorities of Belarus and Russia to provide full information about Ukrainian children deported or forcibly transferred to their territories. MEPs also urged an expansion of sanctions against Belarusian officials and organisations involved in the removal and ideological indoctrination of children.
The relevant resolution was adopted on November 12, with 536 votes in favour. Eight MEPs voted against and 37 abstained.
In the document, the European Parliament condemned Russia’s systematic deportation, forcible transfer, illegal adoption, forced Russification, ideological indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children, including with the involvement of Belarus and North Korea.
MEPs called on the Belarusian and Russian authorities to provide Ukraine and relevant international organisations with complete and verifiable information on all Ukrainian children deported or forcibly transferred to, through or within their territories. This information should establish the children’s identities, whereabouts, health and legal status.
The resolution cites a study by Yale University published in 2023. According to its findings, at least 2,442 Ukrainian children were transferred to 13 facilities in Belarus. There, they were subjected to political re-education and, in some documented cases, military training.
The European Parliament also recalled its resolution of May 8, 2025, in which it condemned Russia’s actions and Belarus’s complicity in the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.
MEPs called on the Council of the EU to expand sanctions against Russian, Belarusian and North Korean officials involved in these actions and ensure their strict enforcement. The resolution’s authors say the restrictions should target not only officials but also representatives of state institutions, educational organisations, administrations of children’s camps, transport companies and other entities involved in the deportation, forcible transfer, illegal adoption, ideological indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children.
The European Parliament backed cooperation between Europol, Eurojust, Ukraine’s ombudsman and other organisations to establish the whereabouts of children illegally transferred to Russia, Belarus and North Korea, as well as to collect evidence for the subsequent prosecution of those responsible.
The resolution demands that Russia immediately return all deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children to territory controlled by Ukraine, safely and unconditionally.
MEPs stressed that the return of the children is an obligation under international law and must not be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations, including in exchange for territorial concessions, the release of prisoners or other political agreements.
According to the document, as of September 2026, Ukrainian authorities had confirmed 20,651 cases of children deported or forcibly transferred by Russia. An estimated 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain in territories occupied by Russia. As of October 28, 2,752 Ukrainian children who had been deported, forcibly transferred or taken from occupied territories had been returned.
The European Parliament insists that the return of all illegally removed children must be one of the central issues in any negotiations to end the war.
MEPs also reaffirmed their support for the International Criminal Court and the arrest warrants it issued for Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, on charges of the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children. The European Parliament stressed that not only senior leaders but everyone involved in organising and carrying out these actions must be held accountable.