Key facts
- Lithuania has allocated 600,000 euros to support Ukrainian NGOs.
- The funding is for seven initiatives focused on returning Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
- Projects will also enhance accountability for war crimes committed against children.
- The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova related to these abductions.
Lithuania has committed 600,000 euros to support seven Ukrainian non-governmental organizations in their efforts to return children abducted by Russia and to hold perpetrators accountable for war crimes. The announcement was made during the 'Children First: Protection of Ukraine's Future' project recognition ceremony.
First Lady of Lithuania, Diana Nausediene, emphasized that children should not be used as instruments of war and that their identity and family ties should not be forcibly altered by an occupying power. She stated that Lithuania would continue to defend these principles without compromise.
The allocated funds will assist organizations such as the Regional Center for Human Rights, Truth Hounds, and Save Ukraine. These projects aim to address the entire process of a child's return and rehabilitation, recognizing that simply finding and returning abducted children is insufficient. Some initiatives will also focus on documenting war crimes against children.
Representatives from Truth Hounds and the Regional Center for Human Rights highlighted how the Lithuanian support will enable them to gather more evidence and individual stories, making it harder for these children to be lost in statistics and helping to bridge the gap between documentation and accountability efforts.
According to Ukraine's 'Children of War' database, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted since February 2022, with Ukrainian officials estimating the actual number could be significantly higher, ranging up to 300,000. Approximately 1.6 million Ukrainian children currently live under Russian occupation.
Lithuania was the first country to bring the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court, which in 2023 issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova for their alleged involvement in the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.