During a meeting in Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump handed a letter from First Lady Melania Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The letter addressed the situation of Ukrainian children who have reportedly been abducted by Russian forces since the invasion began in February 2022. This information was confirmed by two White House officials.

Ukrainian authorities allege that tens of thousands of children have been taken from their families and relocated to Russia or areas under Russian control. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, citing the alleged abduction of these children. Russian officials have countered that the children were removed from conflict zones for their safety, labeling the arrest warrant as "outrageous and unacceptable."

Melania Trump, who is originally from Slovenia, has taken a personal interest in the plight of these children. Her involvement could potentially increase pressure on Putin regarding Russia's actions in Ukraine. The letter's specific contents have not been disclosed, but it is known to have raised concerns about the fate of the children.

The meeting between Trump and Putin lasted nearly three hours at a U.S. military base in Anchorage. Although the discussions were described as "very productive," no agreement on a ceasefire was reached. Trump stated that they found common ground on several issues.

According to Ukrainian sources, approximately 20,000 children have been abducted since the start of the invasion, which they claim meets the United Nations' definition of genocide. In June 2024, the U.S. government reported credible evidence of Ukrainian children being listed on Russian adoption websites, which it condemned as "despicable and appalling."

Reports have emerged that some abducted children are being prohibited from speaking their native language and are being forced to sing the Russian national anthem. Moscow maintains that it is evacuating children from war zones as a humanitarian effort.

Trump has mentioned that Melania is aware of the ongoing violence in Ukraine, despite his conversations with Putin. He recounted a conversation with her where she expressed concern about continued bombings in Ukrainian cities.

In recent weeks, Russian state media has criticized Melania Trump, with one prominent anchor labeling her a "Ukrainian agent." Following the meeting, Trump indicated that he and Putin had discussed potential land swaps between Ukraine and Russia, a proposal that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly rejected.

The future impact of Melania Trump's letter on the situation of Ukrainian children remains uncertain, as does the potential for any subsequent actions from the U.S. government.