Archbishop Gallagher assures Ukraine of ongoing support for the return of children abducted by Russia

Olena Kondratiuk shared on her Facebook page that several key humanitarian issues were discussed during the conversation. These included the return of Ukrainian children who were illegally taken to Russia and the increasing violence against civilians and religious communities.

“We are grateful to the Holy See for its ongoing diplomatic and moral support for Ukraine, as well as its efforts to help return the abducted Ukrainian children. We especially appreciate Pope Leo XIV's attention to the children affected by the war,” stated Olena Kondratiuk.

She expressed gratitude to the Pope for meeting with a large group of Ukrainian children who received support from the Church to relax and recover in Italy. Earlier, the Pontiff also met with children from Kharkiv. In total, more than 500 Ukrainian children have visited the Vatican and vacationed in Italy, including teenagers who were returned from Russia.

The discussion also addressed crimes against civilians, clergy, and churches committed by Russia. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 63 clergymen from various denominations have been killed, and more than 600 churches and religious buildings have been destroyed or damaged.

During the conversation, special attention was given to the systematic indoctrination and militarization of abducted Ukrainian children. According to Olena Kondratiuk, a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights confirmed that these actions are deliberate and constitute large-scale human rights violations that Russia has been perpetrating at the administrative level since 2014.

“We are convinced that all abducted children must be returned before any peace agreements are made. Russia must understand that there is a broad international coalition that cares about this issue,” emphasized Kondratiuk.

For his part, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher assured Ukraine of the Holy See's ongoing support. He mentioned that the Vatican will continue its humanitarian mission and mediation efforts to return Ukrainian children, particularly through the activities of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi's group, which is involved in the Presidential Initiative Bring Kids Back UA.