“The EU has the responsibility to protect children and their wellbeing, and protect them from trafficking and illegal adoption,” Spanish MEP Iban García del Blanco said.

One Spanish MEP recalled how he read about a case in the Spanish newspapers of 30 unaccompanied children from Ukraine who were supposed to arrive in Spain and then board a boat to the Canary Islands. However, they seemingly disappeared and never actually boarded the boat, causing local authorities to launch an investigation.

“Russia is making changes to legislation to speed up the adoption process of Eastern Ukrainian children,” warned Vice President Kopacz in her speech at the beginning of the event.

Greek Deputy Ombudswoman for Children’s Rights Koufonikolakou Theoni stressed the importance of attempting family tracing before allowing international or cross-border adoptions of unaccompanied refugee children. 

“Family tracing should be a priority. Cross-border adoption should only be considered when all family tracing efforts and channels are exhausted,” Theoni said.

UNICEF Senior Regional Advisor for Europe and Central Asia, Aaron Greenberg, echoed Theoni’s message, saying that “each child should be considered as not in need of adoption if it is not confirmed that they have no living relatives”.

Greenberg also said that unaccompanied children should be kept within national childcare systems rather than private and ad-hoc institutions and that they must be registered upon arrival at the EU’s borders. 

Anna Krawczak from the University of Warsaw also warned of the dangers unaccompanied Ukrainian child refugees are facing upon their arrival in Poland. 

Children are reportedly being kept in hotels, where they are staying in rooms of mixed ages and genders, putting them at risk of sexual abuse and violence at the hands of other children.

Earlier this month, MEPs voted in favour of a resolution calling for measures to protect children and young people fleeing violence in Ukraine and facilitate their integration into host countries. 

Since the Russians invaded Ukraine illegally on 24th February, over 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes. According to a United Nations data monitor, over five million people have left Ukraine and over seven million have been internally displaced within the country’s borders.

If you wish to help Ukraine from Malta, but don’t know how check out these Maltese organisations that are collecting funds and supplies to send to Ukraine. Alternatively, you can donate directly to some of these foreign organisations, as well as find a list of different things you could do on this webpage.

This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

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