Melania Trump sends letter to Putin about abducted children

WorldPolitics
16 Aug 2025 • 7:58 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

image is not available

  • Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, where he delivered a letter from Melania Trump concerning the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia.
  • The letter from Melania Trump addressed the abduction of children during the ongoing conflict, with Ukraine verifying nearly 19,500 deportations by Russia, though the true figure is likely higher.
  • The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023, accusing him of war crimes for unlawfully deporting and transferring Ukrainian children.
  • Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the ICC's accusations as "outrageous and unacceptable," stating Russia does not recognise the court's jurisdiction.
  • Despite nearly three hours of talks, no ceasefire deal emerged from the meeting, with Trump later urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "make a deal" with Putin.

IN FULL