The first such reunification was carried out on October 16, 2023, when four Ukrainian children were repatriated from Russia.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his country’s efforts in reuniting Ukrainian children separated from their families during the ongoing war with Russia.
The discussions took place over the phone on Tuesday, where Sheikh Tamim “reaffirmed Qatar’s support for all international efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the Russian-Ukrainian crisis”.
“The call explored ways to boost bilateral relations between the two countries and included an exchange of views on key regional and international issues of shared concern,” the Amiri Diwan said in a statement.
Zelenskyy, in a post on X, expressed his gratitude for Qatar’s support for his country.
“In Ukraine, we are truly grateful for the support and all the humanitarian aid provided. Thanks to Qatar’s mediation, we have been able to bring home many of our children who were illegally deported to Russia. We deeply value this humanity and assistance,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president also stressed the need to reach a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
“I appreciate the Amir’s position that any meetings concerning Ukraine cannot be decided without our country’s participation. Once again, I confirmed that Ukraine is ready for any meeting formats that can bring an honest and lasting peace,” Zelenskyy said.
“We coordinated our contacts with partners and agreed to stay in touch,” he added.
Qatar has been playing a central role in mediating the return of 100 children separated by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which has raged on since 2022.
The first such reunification was carried out on October 16, 2023, when four Ukrainian children were repatriated from Russia.
The latest such reunification took place in July, when Qatar reunited 11 children with their relatives in Ukraine while returning three other children to their relatives in Russia.
Last year, Qatar hosted a meeting with a Ukrainian delegation, which resulted in agreements to restore personal documents. Other major outcomes included facilitating the exchange of lists of missing military personnel, and letters from prisoners of war.
Qatar has maintained a balanced foreign policy since the beginning of the war between Russia and Ukraine, communicating with both sides while repeatedly calling for the need for dialogue to end the conflict.
Meanwhile, a meeting is scheduled to take place between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday in a push to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
“I’m going to be telling him, ‘You’ve got to end this war,’” Trump told a press conference in Washington, DC, on Monday.
Zelenskyy voiced his doubts over the meeting’s ability to yield progress, saying Putin is preparing for “new offensive operations” in Ukraine.
“They are redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations. If someone is preparing for peace, this is not what he does,” he said in a video he posted on his social media on Monday.
