The emirate of Qatar says it has reached an agreement to return four Ukrainian children from Russia to their home country. Thousands of children have been kidnapped since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression.
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Lolwah Al-Khater, said on Monday that the agreement to return the children could only be a first step. But the behavior of both sides during the mediation mission was encouraging.
Children housed in embassy
According to a diplomat familiar with the case, the children, aged between two and 17, were staying at the Qatari embassy in Moscow while Doha mediated between authorities. “Both Ukrainian and Russian officials have shown their cooperation in ensuring the safety of the children and their departure to Ukraine,” the diplomat said.
The children include a child whose mother was imprisoned in Russia and a child who was in a Russian hospital when the war began in February 2022 and lost contact with his mother.
Thousands of children kidnapped
In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his child rights representative Maria Lwowa-Belova for the alleged kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia. However, Russia does not recognize the ICC. Ukrainian authorities have so far identified more than 19,000 children who have been forcibly relocated since the war began in February 2022.
Lwowa-Belowa did not confirm the agreement that Qatar signed on Monday. However, at a press conference she welcomed Qatar’s role as a mediator in talks with Ukraine, including on the “child reunification process”. She again rejected allegations that children from Ukraine were forcibly brought to Russia.
Qatar often acts as an intermediary
Qatar plays a mediating role in many international conflicts. The gas-rich Gulf monarchy played a role in brokering a prisoner swap between Iran and the US last month.
Source: Krone
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