Melania Trump sends letter to Putin on plight of war-affected children

Donald Trump delivered a personal letter from First Lady Melania Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting the challenges faced by children affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, The Guardian reported.

According to Trump administration officials, the letter reportedly raised concerns about the abduction of children following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, though the text obtained by Fox News does not explicitly mention the transfers.

The letter opens with a message on children’s innocence and their dreams of safety and possibility, and urges Putin to “restore their melodic laughter,” stopping short of directly appealing for the return of the abducted children.

Melania Trump did not attend the summit in Anchorage, Alaska, where Trump met with Putin, but she has previously likened her advocacy for children’s welfare to that of Eleanor Roosevelt.

Ukraine has described the forced relocation of tens of thousands of its children to Russia as a war crime and a potential act of genocide. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Melania Trump for her attention to the issue, according to Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

The issue resurfaced in August when the NGO Save Ukraine accused Russia of state-sponsored child trafficking, citing an online database from the Russia-installed administration in Luhansk containing the names, photos, and personal details of nearly 300 Ukrainian children separated from their families.

US lawmakers have called for the return of abducted Ukrainian children before any peace agreements, introducing resolutions condemning Russia’s actions in both the House and Senate.