Melania Trump says 8 Ukrainian children reunited after letter to Putin and new communication channel
First Lady Melania Trump announced that eight Ukrainian children who had been taken into Russia were reunited with their families after she wrote to President Vladimir Putin in August and helped establish an “open” back channel that was hand‑delivered by President Trump at his Alaska meeting with Putin. Putin responded in writing and provided biographies, photographs and service details — U.S. officials confirmed receiving the materials — and Melania’s representative, who has held back‑channel meetings and calls with Putin’s team over the past three months, said three children had been separated by front‑line fighting and five by cross‑border separations (including one girl reunited inside Russia) and that more reunifications are expected.
📌 Key Facts
- Melania Trump says eight Ukrainian children displaced by the war were reunited with their families following communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- In August, Melania Trump wrote to Putin and President Trump hand-delivered the letter during their Alaska meeting, which she says led to an open/back-channel of communication about displaced Ukrainian children.
- Putin responded in writing and Russia provided biographies, photographs and service overviews for the children; U.S. government officials confirmed they received those materials.
- The First Lady’s representative has worked directly with Putin’s team, holding several back-channel meetings and calls over the past three months to facilitate the exchanges.
- Of the eight reunifications, three children had been separated from parents due to front-line fighting and five were separated from family across borders; one girl was reunited with family inside Russia.
- Melania Trump said the parties have "agreed to cooperate" for the benefit of people affected by the war, and she expects more reunifications to follow while seeking transparent information exchange on all affected children.
📚 Contextual Background
- Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 2022-02-24.
📰 Sources (3)
- Melania Trump says Putin responded in writing and outlined details about Ukrainian children residing in Russia.
- Russia provided biographies, photographs and service overviews for the children, which U.S. government officials confirmed receiving.
- Breakdown of the eight reunifications: three children separated from parents due to front-line fighting and five separated from family across borders; one girl was reunited with family inside Russia.
- The First Lady’s representative has been working directly with Putin’s team, with several back-channel meetings and calls over the past three months.
- She expects more reunifications to follow and described her mission to facilitate transparent information exchange on all affected children.
- Melania Trump wrote to Vladimir Putin in August and had President Trump hand‑deliver the letter during his Alaska meeting with Putin.
- Following the letter, an 'open channel of communication' with Putin was established regarding the welfare of displaced Ukrainian children.
- Melania Trump publicly stated, 'We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war.'