Russia has successfully returned seven children from Ukraine to their families, thanks to the efforts of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, as announced by the White House on Thursday.

This initiative, described as a “reunification effort,” led to the return of six boys and one girl to their families in Ukraine.

Maria Lvova-Belova, the Kremlin’s commissioner for children’s rights, confirmed the return and expressed gratitude to the First Lady for her “steadfast dedication and participation in this mission.”

In October, Trump revealed that she had communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin through a representative regarding the situation of Ukrainian children taken to Russia following the full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.

She noted that Putin had replied to a letter she sent via her husband, former President Donald Trump, during a summit with the Russian leader in Alaska in August.

Both Lvova-Belova and Putin are subjects of an International Criminal Court warrant for the alleged illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia, which prosecutors categorize as a war crime. Russia, not recognizing the ICC’s authority, has dismissed these allegations.

Kyiv claims that Moscow has deported over 19,000 children since the onset of the full-scale invasion, a statement that Russia refutes. As of Thursday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry reported that only 1,850 children had been returned thus far.

On Wednesday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution, supported by the United States, demanding the immediate return of all Ukrainian children who have been forcibly transferred to Russia.