Backgrounder: Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War

The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, together with Denys Uliutin, Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, and Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, co-hosted Pathways to Peace:

The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, together with Denys Uliutin, Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, and Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, co-hosted Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War in Toronto, Ontario, on September 28 and 29, 2026.

At the conference, Minister Anand announced a series of initiatives to strengthen Canada’s support to Ukraine in bringing people home and ensure that those who return can access rehabilitation and reintegration services:

Coordinated response to child militarization in temporarily occupied territories

Description: Canada is supporting a pioneering response to the evolving threats facing Ukrainian children, addressing not only deportation, but also indoctrination, militarization and recruitment. The project will strengthen cooperation between state and civil society partners by identifying children at risk, facilitating the safe return of children and providing immediate post-arrival support to children and their families.

Rescue and resilience for Ukrainian civil society