New York [US], October 11: Speaking at the White House on October 10, Mrs. Melania revealed that she had sent a letter to Mr. Putin in August to present the issue of children affected by the Russia- Ukraine war and said that the Russian leader responded with a spirit of readiness for direct cooperation.
" President Putin and I have had an open line of communication regarding the welfare of these children ," NBC News quoted First Lady Melania Trump as saying.
The First Lady said the talks had been "conducted confidentially and in good faith" over the past three months. Melania's representatives worked directly with Putin's team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine .
According to Mrs. Melania, 8 children were reunited with their families in the previous 24 hours .
Mrs. Melania said Russia also agreed to allow some 18-year-olds to return to Ukraine. " Again, this is an ongoing effort. Plans are underway to reunite more children in the near future," she said.
According to AFP, in June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 200,000 children had been taken to Russia or Russian-controlled territories since the conflict began in February 2022.
Meanwhile, Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights, estimates that about 700,000 children have been evacuated to Russia to escape the fighting since 2014.
The above move by Mrs. Melania Trump is considered a rare step by an American first lady in the field of foreign affairs .
"The First Lady's impact on President Trump's decision-making process is immeasurable. She has unparalleled influence compared to any other adviser or cabinet member. Melania can influence policy discreetly in ways that are rarely seen in public because of her unique position," Nicholas Clemens, Melania's spokesman, told NBC News.
Last month, Melania met with Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly . The two first ladies reportedly discussed the plight of Ukrainian children in conflict and expressed a "shared vision for advancing the development of children globally."
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
