On 24 April, the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on the situation of children of Ukraine, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, participated online in the Justice and Accountability Panel at the Kyiv Security Forum.
The panel, organised in partnership with Covington & Burling, brought together high-level participants, including President Andrzej Duda, Ambassador Kurt Volker, and leading experts, to discuss how legal mechanisms, sanctions, and international co-operation can strengthen pressure on Russia and advance accountability.
In her intervention, the Special Envoy stressed that accountability for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine must include justice for Ukrainian children, highlighting that unlawful transfers and deportations constitute grave violations of international law.
The Special Envoy underlined the Council of Europe’s key role, including the Register of Damage for Ukraine and the work of the Coordination Group on Children of Ukraine, as well as the importance of the European Court of Human Rights’ judgment in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia.
She also emphasised that discussions on Ukraine’s recovery must remain focused on people - especially children - and their recovery. Continued support is essential to strengthen human capacity, institutions and the necessary infrastructure in Ukraine.
The Special Envoy concluded by stressing that accountability must go hand in hand with the safe return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of affected children, ensuring their rights and dignity are fully restored.
