Chancellor Olaf Solz has called for the return of children abducted by Russian forces to Ukraine, and he played down hopes of major progress at a weekend conference in Switzerland.

Vladimir Putin “he can no longer hold these children hostage. They must finally return to their homes,” Mr. Soltz said during a press conference after meeting with Chilean President Gabriel Boric. Ahead of the conference in Switzerland, the chancellor noted that “there will not be any huge progress there”, but expressed hope that the meeting would be “a first step on the difficult pathi” towards peace.

According to the Ukrainian government, the return of children should be at the top of the agenda at the conference.

Kiev believes Russian forces have abducted more than 19,000 children since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with only 400 returned so far.

In this context, the International Criminal Court has issued from 2023 an arrest warrant against Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights Maria Lvova-Belova, but the Kremlin rejects the allegations and maintains that the children were removed from combat zones for security reasons.

At the Bürgenstock Conference, near Lucerne, Switzerland has invited more than 160 delegations of governments and international organizations. In addition to Olaf Scholz, his participation has been confirmed by French President Emmanuel Macron, US Vice President Kamala Harris, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and, of course, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia had stated in advance that it was not interested in attending such a conference, so it was not invited.

According to the Swiss government, China will not take part either. Kiev hopes, however, that the meeting will promote international support for the terms it is setting for ending the war. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, the future of Ukraine will be discussed at a conference on the reconstruction of the country, which is being held in Berlin.