On Thursday, November 12, 2026, the European Parliament in Brussels adopted a resolution classifying Russia's actions regarding Ukrainian children as meeting the legal definition of genocide. The document was passed with 536 votes in favor, 8 against, and 37 abstentions. The resolution calls on all EU member states to officially recognize these actions as genocide and demands the immediate, safe, and unconditional return of the deported children to the territory of Ukraine.
Legal basis and condemned practices
In the resolution's text, MEPs cite Article II(e) of the UN Genocide Convention, which defines as an act of genocide the forcible transfer of children from one national, ethnic, racial, or religious group to another with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, that group. The European Parliament condemned the systematic deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children, their illegal adoption, forced Russification, as well as the military training of children and youth in occupied territories — including instruction in handling weapons and drones, military drills, and recruitment into the "Yunarmia" organization.
"Putin does not forge birth certificates himself"
During the November 11 debate, Latvian MEP Rihards Kols, speaking on behalf of the right-wing conservative European Conservatives and Reformists group, drew attention to the role of the officials who alter the children's documents. "Putin does not forge birth certificates himself," he stated, pointing out that this system is maintained by thousands of bureaucrats, camp directors, and occupation administration officials. Kols labeled the events genocide and called for sanctions to be extended to everyone involved in maintaining this system. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, speaking in the same debate, stated that the deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia is a policy of the Russian government, personally approved by Vladimir Putin.
Specific demands for Moscow and Minsk
The European Parliament demanded the immediate closure of online catalogs offering Ukrainian children for adoption and placement in foster families. MEPs called on Russia and Belarus to provide Ukraine and international organizations with full and verifiable information on the identity, location, health status, and legal status of the deported children. Moscow is also required to provide the Red Cross, UNICEF, and other independent organizations with unobstructed and regular access to the children. According to figures provided by Kaja Kallas, Russia has illegally deported over 20,500 Ukrainian children; as of November 2026, 2,790 have been returned.
Return of children is not a bargaining chip
The resolution emphasizes that the return of deported children "must never be used as a bargaining chip" or be dependent on territorial concessions, prisoner swaps, or other political arrangements. MEPs named the return of children one of the top priorities for peace negotiations. During the debate, Kallas suggested that Russia is already sending kidnapped Ukrainian children to fight against Ukraine, citing the case of Luka, who returned to Ukraine and, according to her, received a draft notice for the Russian army as soon as he turned 18.
Sanctions pressure: from "Yunarmia" to "Gazprom"
MEPs called for EU sanctions to be extended to the entire network of individuals and entities involved in the deportation, illegal adoption, and military training of Ukrainian children. Furthermore, MEPs requested that the EU impose sanctions on Gazprom, Rosneft, and their involved subsidiaries, citing a 2026 Yale University investigation into their role in the transportation and re-education of Ukrainian children. At the time of the resolution's adoption, the EU was already restricting transactions with Rosneft and Gazprom Neft; in the document, MEPs specifically name the parent company Gazprom, which is not yet fully subject to existing restrictions.
