The Save Ukraine center recently welcomed its first visit from the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on Ukrainian Children, Ms. Þórdís Gylfadóttir.

This was far more than a protocol visit, as the Council of Europe, together with Ukraine, initiated the creation of a special tribunal for Russia’s crime of aggression. Seeking justice for crimes against Ukrainian children is one of the key pillars of her work.

During the visit, Þórdís spoke with teenagers rescued from occupation who are currently living in our social dormitory.

When asked what message they wanted to send to European leaders, the children responded almost unanimously with one word: gratitude. They explained that Europe’s support gave them hope even while living under occupation. Þórdís admitted she was deeply moved and promised to convey these words to her colleagues.

However, she was even more struck by how these children managed to preserve their identity despite the pressure of Russian propaganda and continue to share European values. The boys shared how they sought out truthful information from independent media, saw the world’s support, and knew that Ukraine’s future lies within Europe, not Russia.

Following the visit, while speaking at the Justice Conference, Þórdís urged partners not to waste time: support the organizations that are already bringing children home —support Save Ukraine. Because every day of delay is another day of captivity for a Ukrainian child.

We are grateful for this solidarity, for the voice of Ukrainian children in Europe, and for our joint work toward justice and our future.