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Canada will co-host a major international conference in Toronto later this month, focused on securing the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war held by Russia. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced the event on Saturday, confirming that Canada, Ukraine and Norway will jointly host the two-day gathering on September 28 and 29.
The conference carries the official title Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War. It will bring together foreign ministers, senior government officials and international organizations to coordinate efforts on behalf of those held under Russian control.
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Scale of the Crisis
Ukrainian authorities have documented 20,651 cases of possible unlawful deportation or forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia. So far, 2,573 children have returned from deportation, forcible transfer or temporarily occupied territories.
The situation for detained civilians is equally alarming. As of June, Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights confirmed that Russia unlawfully detained 1,878 civilians. However, Global Affairs Canada noted the true figure could be far higher. Some civil society organizations estimate that as many as 20,000 civilians may currently be held by Russia.
Ukraine does not publicly disclose the exact number of its prisoners of war in Russian captivity. Meanwhile, as of August, a total of 9,529 Ukrainian military personnel and civilians had been returned from Russian captivity, according to Global Affairs Canada.
Goals of the Toronto Conference
The Toronto conference will focus on several key priorities. Participants will discuss ways to strengthen tracing systems and improve information sharing between governments and organizations. They will also work to establish clearer pathways for the return of Ukrainians still held abroad.
In addition, the conference will address humanitarian access and family contact for those who remain under Russian control. Global Affairs Canada stated that the three host nations aim to strengthen international support for bringing people home and ensuring that those who return can access rehabilitation and reintegration services.
Ongoing Russian Attacks
The conference announcement comes as Russia intensifies its air campaign against Ukraine. On Saturday, Russian strikes killed eight civilians and wounded dozens more across the country, according to local officials.
Two people died when Russian drones struck a residential area in Zaporizhzhia. Another person was killed in Kryvyi Rih. In Odesa and the surrounding region, 35 people sustained injuries in what regional officials described as a massive attack.
Three more people died when drones struck vehicles in Kramatorsk. Two others were killed during a Russian attack on a grocery store in the Zhytomyr region.
The strikes followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Speaking at a BRICS summit in India, Putin cautioned that deploying European troops to Ukraine would mean direct conflict with Russia. “Now they’re talking about how they’re considering sending troops into Ukraine. That means a war with Russia,” he said. Some European leaders have pledged support for a potential peacekeeping force as part of a future peace agreement, a proposal Moscow has repeatedly rejected.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said in an interview published Saturday that he would be willing to meet Putin if both leaders received invitations to the G20 summit in Miami in December.
Canada’s Broader Support for Ukraine
Canada has committed more than $26 billion in multifaceted support to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. That total includes more than $750 million directed toward recovery and reconstruction efforts, according to the federal government. The Toronto conference represents the latest step in Canada’s ongoing engagement with the Ukraine crisis at the international level.
