First Lady Melania Trump has revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally responded to a letter she sent expressing concern for children affected by the Russia-Ukraine war a gesture that she says has led to the reunification of several displaced Ukrainian children with their families.
Speaking at the White House on Friday, Mrs. Trump said that following an “open channel of communication” established after her letter was hand-delivered to Putin during his visit to Alaska in August, eight children had been safely returned to their families.
“Each child has lived in turmoil because of the war in Ukraine,” the First Lady said, standing before American flags. “I am grateful that through cooperation, we’ve been able to reunite families torn apart by conflict.”
According to Mrs. Trump, three of the reunited children had been displaced to Russia amid frontline fighting, while another was returned to Russia from Ukraine. Both Moscow and Kyiv reportedly assisted in the reunification process.
The First Lady added that she had received a full report detailing each child’s circumstances, supported by photographs and verified by U.S. officials. “The U.S. government has confirmed the facts,” she said.
In excerpts of the letter shared by President Donald Trump on social media, Mrs. Trump appealed to Putin to protect children, writing that doing so “will do more than serve Russia alone it will serve humanity itself.”
Her announcement marks a notable development in her ongoing child welfare advocacy. Since launching her Be Best initiative in 2021, Mrs. Trump has pushed for global child protection measures, including the recently passed Take It Down Act, targeting revenge pornography.
She concluded her remarks saying, “Every child deserves love, possibility, and safety from danger.”
