Countries Participating in the Montreal Conference Commit to Returning All Captured and Deported Ukrainians

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Following the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Peace Formula in Montreal, participants approved a Joint Communiqué, with its central component being the Montreal Pledge, aimed at facilitating the return of all Ukrainian captives and deportees.

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The communiqué outlines a common set of principles that conference participants will follow, reaffirms unwavering support for Ukraine's victory, and condemns any country assisting Russia's aggression.

In particular, the conference participants agreed to step up Ukraine's cooperation with partners and international organizations to address humanitarian issues and ensure compliance with the Geneva Conventions.

One of the key points is to identify trusted mediating states for negotiations with Russia on the return of Ukrainian military, civilians, and children. It is also proposed to develop mechanisms that would allow Ukrainians in Russia to receive consular services with the help of intermediaries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha emphasized that the conference has yielded concrete outcomes, which many Ukrainian families have been awaiting.

"We have secured commitments. We have established a network of specific countries that have pledged targeted assistance in the return of children," he stated at the closing press conference.

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Andrii Sybiha also called it extremely important that the international community is ready to help establish the whereabouts of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Mélanie Joly noted that Qatar, the Vatican, the Republic of South Africa, Lithuania, and the United Arab Emirates have made specific commitments on the return of deported children and captives to Ukraine.

"I want to thank Qatar, the Vatican, and South Africa for their role as intermediaries in negotiating the return of children. I also thank Qatar and Lithuania for serving as transit countries in returning these children home. I am grateful to the UAE for continuing as a mediator in the negotiations on the exchange of prisoners of war," Mélanie Joly said.

In addition, a group of countries will be formed to cooperate with Ukraine in searching for information on captured Ukrainians, including children, and to assist in data collection and verification.

The conference participants also pledged to support Ukraine in the reintegration of returnees. In addition, information about Russia's unlawful detention and ill-treatment of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war, deportation and forcible transfer of children will be spread through strategic communication campaigns.

Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide underscored the importance for international humanitarian organizations to have access to Ukrainian prisoners of war and to play a role in returning deported children.

"We must demonstrate our resolve in this work. It will be a major contribution to implementing the ten points of the Peace Formula," he noted.

With this event, Ukraine and dozens of partner nations conclude a series of thematic conferences focused on specific points of the Peace Formula. Between August and November, nine such meetings took place, each resulting in a Joint Communiqué. Based on these efforts, work will now begin on developing proposals for the second Peace Summit.

Over 70 countries and international organizations participated in this conference. The full text of the approved Joint Communiqué on the Human Dimension is available via the link below.

JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE HUMAN DIMENSION - pdf - 114.31 kb