In her address, Undersecretary Lind stressed that the international community must respond to Russia’s unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children in a united and decisive manner. “Children are often the unseen victims of aggression,” Lind said. “The deportation and forced Russification of Ukrainian children is a deliberate and systematic activity that is an integral part of Russia’s war machine. The Kremlin’s aim is to sever children’s ties with their homeland, culture and identity and subject them to Russian propaganda, thereby influencing Ukraine’s future.”
“Since the beginning of the full-scale aggression, more than 20,500 Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia. This constitutes a grave violation of international law and human rights, and Russia must be held accountable for all the crimes it has committed,” she added.
According to the Undersecretary, Estonia will continue working with international partners to ensure that every deported child can return home. “Every child has the right to grow up in a safe environment surrounded by their family and loved ones. We must do everything in our power to bring every Ukrainian child home,” said Lind.
Supporting Ukrainian children is an important part of Estonia’s development cooperation with Ukraine. With the support of the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), family homes, a kindergarten, a hobby school and a human rights centre have been established in Zhytomyr Oblast to support the education of Ukrainian children and strengthen their sense of security. Supporting the people of Ukraine is also one of the focuses of the human-centred dimension of the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which will take place in Tallinn in January 2027.
On the sidelines of the conference, Undersecretary Lind met with Andorran Foreign Minister Imma Tor Faus, Honduran Foreign Minister Mireya Agüero, Canadian Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Angell, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Jovica Palashevski, and UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Lord Wood of Anfield.
During her visit, the Undersecretary also learned about the progress of the KESKUS Estonian cultural centre, met with representatives of the Estonian Central Council in Canada and visited the editorial office of Eesti Elu.
