Melania Trump Reveals She’s Been Negotiating With Putin on Return of Displaced Children

First Lady Melania Trump on Friday announced she’s had discussions with Vladimir Putin leading to an agreement to return Ukrainian and Russian children back home.

On Friday, Melania appeared in the White House for a brief press conference on the situation in Russia. Since at least August, the Trump administration has taken notice of the Ukrainian children who had reporttedly been abducted by Russian forces. Those children, according to claims, were subjected to forced re-education and participation in the country’s military.

In September, a handful of congressman held a press conference announcing the inclusion of Russia on the U.S.’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.

During her presser, Melania announced that Putin responded to the letter she sent him in August regarding the children. Since then, she added, the two maintained an “open channel of communication.”

“For the past three months, both sides have participated in several backchannel meetings and calls — all in good faith,” Melania said. “We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war. My representative has been working directly with President Putin’s team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine.”

Melania added that eight children had been reunited with their families in the last 24 hours. One of those children was a Russian girl who had been displaced in Ukraine.

The first lady also “raised concerns regarding those who were minors at the time they were displaced by the war but have since reached adulthood and currently reside in Russia.” The Russian Federation, she said, has agreed to return them, as well.

“Again, this remains an ongoing effort,” Melania continued, adding, “Plans are already underway to reunify more children in the immediate future. I hope peace will come soon. It can begin with our children.”