Ensuring accountability for children of Ukraine, supporting their psychological rehabilitation and social integration, and returning illegally deported Ukrainian children back to the country were the focus of the meeting between the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on the situation of children of Ukraine, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjord Gylfadóttir and Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, on 23 February 2026 in Kyiv.
“As we mark the fourth anniversary of this horrible war, we must ensure that the rights of Ukrainian children remain central in diplomatic discussions and international forums,” said the Special Envoy. “They need justice, protection, education, and mental health support. Only then will Ukraine’s recovery efforts prove successful”.
The Council of Europe has been at the forefront of the accountability efforts in support of Ukraine. The First Lady and the Special Envoy discussed the accountability and compensation instruments established under the Council of Europe, such as its Register of Damage for Ukraine that recently opened a claims category for illegal transfer of children, and the importance of their effective functioning.
In Kyiv, Thórdís Gylfadóttir also participated in the panel “Stolen Futures: Pathways to the Return of Ukrainian Children” of the Justice Conference.
She stressed that ensuring justice for Ukrainian children amid the ongoing war requires a lot of co-ordination – both with Ukrainian authorities and among international institutions to avoid duplication and maximise impact.
“The Council of Europe plays a critical role in this, drawing on its deep expertise in human rights law, notably through the European Convention on Human Rights and the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse”, she explained. “My mandate as the Special Envoy is to facilitate the Council of Europe’s support to Ukraine, guaranteeing that child protection is fully integrated into the country’s legal, social, and rehabilitation systems, that it is resilient, sustainable and responsible. Our Organisation focuses on long-term legal and institutional reforms, ensuring that Ukraine’s legal framework aligns with European human rights standards, especially in the context of the EU accession process.”
The Special Envoy noted that support to children of Ukraine is also provided under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction" 2023-2026.
For instance, the Council of Europe Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU) is providing crucial support to children of Ukraine, wherever they are, building capacity of front-line workers in the area of psychological support and trauma-informed care, including for children having returned from unlawful deportation. The CGU also works to understand the impact of indoctrination on the mental health, development and identity of children of Ukraine, and to develop guidance to effectively address conflict-related sexual violence against children.
Under the Action Plan, child-friendly justice systems are advancing: support has been provided to Ukrainian investigators, prosecutors, and judges working with children in criminal proceedings, special mediators trained, in order to strengthen safeguards for child victims, witnesses, and children in conflict with the law. In addition, a specialised restorative justice training programme for mediators working with minors was developed, and dozens of legal aid lawyers trained.
During the visit to Kyiv, the Special Envoy will also take part in meetings aimed at the preparations of the new Action Plan for Ukraine 2027-2030.
