U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has written a personal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighting the plight of children affected by the war in Ukraine, White House officials revealed on Friday.
According to two senior officials, President Donald Trump hand-delivered the letter to Putin during their summit meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, earlier this week. Melania, who did not attend the talks, addressed concerns over the reported abductions of Ukrainian children taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territories.
The disclosure of the letter’s existence, previously unreported, underscores the sensitivity of the issue. Ukraine has long condemned the forcible transfer of tens of thousands of its children, describing the practice as a war crime that meets the United Nations’ definition of genocide.
Moscow has defended its actions, claiming it is sheltering vulnerable minors from a war zone. However, the United Nations Human Rights Office has accused Russia of inflicting widespread suffering on millions of Ukrainian children and violating their rights since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
President Trump and President Putin met for nearly three hours at a U.S. military base in Alaska, though the discussions failed to produce a ceasefire agreement.
The delivery of the First Lady’s letter adds a humanitarian dimension to the high-stakes diplomacy, spotlighting one of the most painful consequences of the ongoing conflict.
Written By Rodney Mbua
