Melania Trump reveals her ‘open channel’ with Putin
The US First Lady has been communicating with Vladimir Putin for weeks.
US First Lady Melania Trump has revealed she has been communicating with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the fate of children abducted by Russia in the Ukraine war.
In an announcement at the White House, the 55-year-old said eight children had been reunited with their families in the past 24 hours following negotiations between her team and Putin’s.
Melania Trump said that Putin had responded to a letter she sent via her husband, President Donald Trump, at a summit in Alaska in August that otherwise failed to provide a breakthrough in ending Russia’s invasion.
“Much has unfolded since President Putin received my letter last August. He responded in writing signalling a willingness to engage with me directly and outlining details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia,” she told reporters.
“Since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children.”
The Slovenian-born former model said that both sides had also had “several back channel meetings and calls, all in good faith.”
“My representative has been working directly with President Putin’s team to ensure the safe reunification of children with their families between Russia and Ukraine,” she said.
“In fact, eight children have been rejoined with their families during the past 24 hours,” adding that one of them had been displaced by fighting and was returning from Ukraine to Russia.”
Ukrainian authorities say more than 20,000 children have been reported missing during the war, believed to have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territories.
Our incredible First Lady â¦@MELANIATRUMPâ© shared this powerful, deeply moving letter with President Putin. She speaks from the heart of every American in calling for a world where children, regardless of where they are born, can live in peace. pic.twitter.com/Soqrv1euAm
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) August 16, 2025
Moscow has previously said it had been protecting vulnerable children from a war zone.
In the letter to Putin, hand-delivered by Mr Trump in August, the US First Lady beseeched him to think of children and “an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.”
Ms Trump didn’t mention the fighting in Ukraine but told Mr Putin he could “single-handedly restore” the “melodic laughter” of children who have been caught in the conflict.
“In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself,” she wrote on White House stationery.
A copy of the letter was first obtained by Fox News Digital and later posted on social media by supporters of the US president, including Attorney-General Pam Bondi.
She said Putin could help these children with the stroke of a pen.
Ms Trump finished the letter with the words: “It is time.”
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