On September 14, 2023, an international campaign was launched to return Ukrainian children who had been taken to Russia from temporarily occupied territories, including Mariupol. The "Bring the Children Back to Ukraine" initiative was initiated by the Dutch non-profit organisation Orphans Feeding Foundation, with the support of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

Six Ukrainian children, including orphans, appeared in the Hague court, as reported by Reuters

During a press conference, the children engaged with high-ranking officials from the Netherlands. The purpose of these meetings was to encourage international organisations to return approximately 20,000 children whom Kyiv identified as unlawfully taken after the start of the full-scale invasion.

It is worth noting that in March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes, specifically, the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine.

Simultaneously, negotiations are underway through the mediation of Saudi Arabia and Turkey regarding the repatriation of thousands of minors. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the envoy of the Pope, is working on the return of children by visiting Kyiv, Moscow, Washington, and Beijing.