WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has halted funding for a project that was monitoring thousands of Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken to Russia. This decision came despite President Donald Trump’s pledge to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a call on Wednesday to assist in bringing the abducted children back home.
Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab was overseeing the project, which was focused on Russia’s systematic and widespread practice of coercing Ukrainian children into adoption and foster care. The project’s funding was recently terminated, as confirmed by a spokesperson from Yale University. In response, the lab has reached out for donations to continue its investigative work.
Concerns have arisen among lawmakers that the vital data collected by the project, crucial for tracking the deported children, may have been lost due to the funding cut. The International Criminal Court has already charged Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kremlin official Maria Lvova-Belova with war crimes for their role in forcibly removing Ukrainian children for adoption in Russia.
A letter sent by Rep. Greg Landsman and other members of Congress to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed fears that the repository of data on over 30,000 Ukrainian children held in various locations in Russia may have been permanently deleted. This loss could have severe repercussions, as the information, which includes satellite imagery and biometric data, was intended to aid in the repatriation of the children and the prosecution of those responsible in Russia.
Despite claims that the data had been erased, the State Department has clarified that the information still exists and was not under its jurisdiction. The maintenance of this database is essential for accountability and humanitarian efforts. The data serves as evidence of the children’s initial removal from Ukraine and helps in tracking their whereabouts, including any adoptions that have occurred.
Efforts to bring back all Ukrainian children taken from their homeland are seen as a crucial aspect of achieving a just and comprehensive peace settlement, as emphasized by President Zelenskyy. Losing the data and discontinuing its collection could hinder these efforts and impede the prospects of reuniting these children with their families.
“The conflict needs to be resolved comprehensively,” she stated. A protester at a rally outside the U.S. embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 8, 2025, held a banner featuring images of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump on playing cards. The demonstration was against Trump’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war. In an interview with USA TODAY, Landsman expressed ongoing concerns, despite the State Department’s assurance that the information was still accessible. He mentioned that the database had given hope that efforts were being made to reunite the children, but learning that it had been shut down was disheartening. Landsman highlighted the distressing fact that individuals, including Russian oligarchs, who had already committed grave acts in abducting children, now knew that no one was actively searching for them anymore.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Yale lab has monitored over 8,400 Ukrainian children, some as young as four months old, who were forcibly moved to various locations in Russia and its occupied territories. The lab’s December report revealed 314 cases of children being coerced into adoption by Russians or placed in Russian foster care, with instances of falsified birth certificates. The systematic abduction of Ukrainian children, starting before the invasion and escalating as Russia gained more territory, has impacted vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, from abusive households, in foster care, or orphans.
In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, as many as 6,000 Ukrainian children were identified in 43 Russian reeducation camps within a year. Presently, over 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly taken, as per a Ukrainian government tracker, though estimates suggest the actual number may be much higher. Only a small fraction, less than 1,250, have been repatriated. The abductions often targeted defenseless children, and in some cases, Russian authorities convinced Ukrainian parents to relinquish their children for their safety amid the war.
Amid these dire circumstances, the Trump administration has been dismantling numerous U.S. foreign aid projects, slashing more than 80% of contracts. Many of these projects were overseen by USAID, the foreign aid division of the State Department, which was a target of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. A recent court ruling expressed concern over the agency’s shutdown, including placing its staff on administrative leave, deeming it potentially unconstitutional.
Speaking on the matter, Bruce, emphasized that the State Department had curtailed funding for programs deemed incongruent with the administration’s priorities of national security and prosperity, citing concerns over wasteful spending. She noted Trump’s commitment to aiding the abducted children in discussions with Zelenskyy as a sign that progress could still be made despite changes to the existing structure.
Landsman concluded by stating to USA TODAY that it was…
A significant error was made. An article headline reads: “Exclusive: US pauses certain efforts against Russian interference as Trump nears Putin.” The speaker hopes the error will be rectified. The primary concern is ensuring the safe return of the children. Discussions on repatriating the children, even at a high level, are positive. However, actions speak louder than words, as Putin has taken 30,000 children. This cycle of conflict instigated by Putin must cease, and the well-being of children must be safeguarded. This article was first published by USA TODAY: Trump discontinues initiative monitoring Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia.
