Christian Groups Demand Return Of Abducted Children
A coalition of faith-based organizations, including the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, has called for Russia to return nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children forcibly taken since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the coalition highlighted reports that Russian forces had abducted these children, ranging from four months to 17 years old. The children have reportedly been subjected to political indoctrination, military training, and forced integration into Russian society.
The letter emphasizes that many of the children have been placed in Russian families, illegally adopted, and had their identities erased through altered birth certificates. It also condemns the Russian government’s actions, which have included denying these children access to their families, subjecting them to physical abuse, and failing to provide adequate care or nutrition. The letter was initiated by Myal Greene, president of the evangelical humanitarian group World Relief, and signed by a broad range of individuals from both conservative and progressive Christian backgrounds.
The coalition urges the Trump administration to prioritize the return of these children in ongoing peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. They assert that no peace agreement should be reached until all Ukrainian children are safely returned to their families. The groups insist that these children should not be used as bargaining chips in geopolitical talks and that their right to be reunited with their families must be unconditional.
Brent Leatherwood, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, expressed the moral imperative for Christians to advocate for the vulnerable, including Ukraine’s children. He condemned the forced deportation and abuse as a grave injustice and violation of the children’s rights, calling on President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio to lead efforts to ensure their safe return. Leatherwood stressed that the children’s return must happen before any peace deal is finalized.
The appeal follows Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which was justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin as support for separatist movements in eastern Ukraine. Despite Ukraine’s strong resistance and significant international support, including military aid from the U.S. and Europe, the conflict continues. President Trump, who has expressed a desire to end the conflict, has also pursued diplomatic efforts, including a ceasefire agreement limiting attacks on energy infrastructure.