Ukraine, Norway, and Canada Issue Joint Call for Return of Detained Civilians and Children

Diplomats from Ukraine, Norway, and Canada have called for coordinated international action to return Ukrainian children, detained civilians, and prisoners of war held by Russia. In a joint article, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, Norwegian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Eivind Vad Petersson, and Canadian Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Angell set out the need for global cooperation on humanitarian releases as a foundation for peace. The authors noted that every morning at 9:00 am, cities across Ukraine pause as public loudspeakers—regularly used for air-raid sirens—broadcast a daily moment of nationwide silence for those lost or detained during the conflict.

The unlawful transfer of children and the detention of civilians and prisoners of war represent severe violations of international humanitarian law. Efforts led jointly by Ukraine and international partners like Norway and Canada demonstrate a push to maintain focused global pressure on Russia to return captives. Securing the safe return of displaced children and prisoners remains a critical requirement for any eventual peace negotiations and legal accountability.

While Norway and Canada are not European Union member states, their diplomatic alignment with Kyiv mirrors the EU's established position on accountability and human rights in Ukraine. European institutions have consistently supported multilateral efforts to track, identify, and return missing Ukrainian civilians and children. The joint initiative underlines how non-EU allies and European partners coordinate alongside EU institutions to maintain a unified diplomatic stance regarding Russia's actions.

Diplomatic working groups plan to build on these joint appeals by pressing for formal mechanisms and third-party facilitation to negotiate the release of prisoners and the repatriation of Ukrainian children. Multilateral discussions will continue across international formats to gather broader state support for concrete humanitarian outcomes.