Trump Hand-Delivers Melania's Letter to Putin on Abducted Ukrainian Children at Alaska Summit

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – During a high-stakes summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, former U.S. President Donald Trump personally delivered a letter from First Lady Melania Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging the return of thousands of Ukrainian children allegedly abducted by Russia. This unusual diplomatic gesture brought the sensitive humanitarian issue directly to the forefront of their discussions.

The meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, concluded without a concrete ceasefire agreement for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Both leaders, however, described the talks as "productive" and indicated progress towards a broader peace agreement rather than a temporary cessation of hostilities.

Melania Trump's letter highlighted the plight of Ukrainian children reportedly taken from their homes since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to Ukrainian authorities, over 20,000 children have been forcibly moved to Russia or Russian-controlled territories, a practice Kyiv deems a war crime and potential act of genocide under UN conventions.

Moscow has consistently denied these accusations, stating that the children were evacuated from war zones for their safety. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023 in connection with these alleged deportations, which Russia has dismissed as "outrageous and unacceptable."

During a press conference following the summit, Trump acknowledged his wife's concern, recalling her persistent questions about ongoing Russian airstrikes. "I go home, I tell the First Lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.’ And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit,’" Trump recounted.

Despite the lack of an immediate ceasefire, Trump stated that "many points were agreed on" and that there was a "very good chance of getting there" regarding a peace deal. Putin, for his part, expressed hope that the agreements reached would "pave the way for peace in Ukraine" and warned against external interference.

The summit's outcome, particularly the shift from a ceasefire focus to a comprehensive peace deal, drew mixed reactions globally. While some European leaders welcomed the engagement, Ukrainian officials expressed caution, with Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko noting, "It seems Putin has bought himself more time. No ceasefire or de-escalation has been agreed upon." The issue of abducted children remains a critical and deeply emotional point of contention in the broader conflict.