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The US First Lady, Melania Trump, has revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to her letter expressing concern for child victims of the Russia–Ukraine war.
She announced on Friday, stating that following an “open channel of communication” with Putin, several Ukrainian children displaced by the conflict had been reunited with their families.
The First Lady’s “peace letter” had been hand-delivered to Putin during his visit to Alaska in August.
President Donald Trump later shared excerpts of the letter on social media, where Mrs Trump urged Putin to safeguard children, writing that such action “will serve not only Russia but humanity itself.”
Standing at a podium in the White House, flanked by American flags, Mrs Trump confirmed that eight children had been reunited with their families in the previous 24 hours.
“Each child has endured turmoil caused by the war in Ukraine,” she said.
According to the First Lady, three of the children had been separated from their families after being displaced to Russia due to front-line combat.
Another young girl had been returned from Ukraine to Russia as part of the reunification efforts.
Mrs Trump explained that both the Ukrainian and Russian governments had facilitated the process, providing her with detailed documentation, including photographs and personal information about each child. The United States government later verified the reports.
She added that she had “learned a great deal about the issue” since sending the letter, and that President Putin had responded in writing.
In her letter, Mrs Trump wrote: “Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from harm.”
This development marks a significant step in the First Lady’s child welfare advocacy, which has been a key part of her White House agenda since President Trump’s first term.
In January 2021, she launched the BE BEST initiative—an international campaign promoting children’s well-being.
Earlier this year, she also championed the Take It Down Act, a law banning revenge pornography. After the bill was signed, Mrs Trump described it as “a powerful statement of unity in defending the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children.”
