On 28-29 September 2026, Canada, Ukraine and Norway co-hosted Pathways to Peace: the Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War in Toronto. The conference brought together 83 delegations representing 72 states and 11 international organisations.

Building on the 2024 Montreal conference, participants focused on practical steps to bring Ukrainians home and support their rehabilitation and reintegration. They heard from Ukrainians who had experienced occupation and captivity, as well as a family member of a civilian still unlawfully detained by Russia.

54 states and international organisations endorsed the Joint Communiqué, including the Toronto Pledge. It calls for the immediate, safe and unconditional return of Ukrainian children and recognises the work of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

The commitments on children include:

— strengthening identification, tracing and verification of individual cases;

— expanding safe return pathways, including through intermediary states and support for Ukrainian civil society organisations;

— strengthening sustainable, state-led rehabilitation and reintegration support for returned children and their families;

— preparing Ukraine for larger-scale returns when conditions allow.

Honduras joined the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, bringing its membership to 52. Two more countries joined Safe Pathways Home, enabling the use of their territories as transit routes for Ukrainians returning home.

Participants finalised the Coalition’s Forward-Looking Agenda for 2026–2027, covering tracing, return, reintegration and accountability. Countering the Russification, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian youth in the temporarily occupied territories is a cross-cutting priority. Partners also identified coordinated steps to implement UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/ES-11/9 on the return of Ukrainian children.

Norway announced approximately USD 25 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross and UNICEF to support family contact, tracing, and legal and psychosocial assistance. Canada announced CAD 863,000 in additional support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and community initiatives assisting returnees and their families. This builds on CAD 6 million announced earlier in September to support Ukrainian children, including CAD 2 million for UNICEF’s work on a dedicated state reintegration service.

Accountability remains essential. The EU imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and 17 entities involved in the deportation, forcible transfer and forced assimilation of Ukrainian children. Canada had announced sanctions against eight individuals earlier in September. Following the conference, the United Kingdom announced sanctions against seven individuals involved in Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian children.

As of September 2026, Ukraine had verified 20,651 cases of deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. This does not reflect the full scale of the crime. By 29 September 2026, 2,651 children had returned home within the framework of Bring Kids Back UA.

Russia continues to obstruct returns by concealing children’s whereabouts, changing their personal data and denying international organisations access. Sustained coordination between Ukraine, civil society and international partners is essential to find and return every child and support them after they come home.

We thank Canada and Norway for co-hosting the conference and all partners for their commitments. These commitments must now translate into more children returning home.

There can be no just and lasting peace without the return of Ukrainian children.

#BringKidsBack