Every morning at 9 a.m., Ukraine pauses. Across cities, loudspeakers that typically warn of Russian air strikes broadcast the steady tick of a clock. Streets fall silent, traffic lights turn red, and for one minute, the nation remembers those killed in Russia's illegal war. This daily ritual also reflects the absence felt by thousands of families whose loved ones have not come home.
Among the missing are thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred and unlawfully deported by Russia. Separated from their families, many have had their language, culture, and even names stripped away. Others are civilians unlawfully detained in occupied territories, often for teaching their language, practicing their culture, or speaking out against occupation. Some have been moved to detention facilities in Russia, where they face a lack of due process, no contact with loved ones, inadequate medical care, and no independent oversight.
Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian custody face similarly dire conditions. Returnees report harsh treatment, and independent bodies have documented widespread abuse, including torture and sexual violence. These actions are not mere side effects of war; they are repeated, well-documented violations of international law, carried out at scale to break the will of the Ukrainian people.
Behind every case is a human story: a parent waiting for a child, a spouse waiting for a phone call, a family waiting for someone to return. The true measure of peace, as officials emphasize, is found in a child returned to their family, a civilian released from unlawful detention, a prisoner of war reunited with loved ones, and a community given the chance to heal.
Given the immense scope of the crisis, no single nation or organization can address it alone. Success requires sustained cooperation among governments, international organizations, humanitarian actors, and civil society. This is why Canada, Norway, and Ukraine convened foreign ministers and international partners in Toronto on September 28 and 29 for the "Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War."
Building on a similar ministerial conference in Canada in 2024, the Toronto gathering aimed to support Ukraine's efforts to return, rehabilitate, and reintegrate its deported children, detained civilians, and prisoners of war. The return of these individuals is a humanitarian imperative and critical to any peace process, helping to build trust and lay the groundwork for a just and lasting peace. Every person returned reunites a family; every family reunited strengthens a community; and every community prospering helps rebuild Ukraine.
The conference comes amid broader discussions about the human cost of the war and the need for international accountability. It also highlights the strain on neighboring countries and allies, as seen in debates over immigration and asylum policies. For instance, a Kashmiri filmmaker detained by U.S. immigration after an asylum bid underscores the complexities of migration and detention systems. Similarly, discussions about ending Haitian TPS could inadvertently hand skilled workers to Canada, illustrating the interconnected nature of policy decisions.
Each morning, millions of Ukrainians pause to remember those gone and those yet to return. In their remembrance, with extraordinary courage and ingenuity, they also repair what Russia has damaged, care for one another, and strengthen the communities that aggression has sought to tear apart. It is the hope of the conference organizers that Pathways to Peace will mobilize the international community not only to pause with Ukraine in remembrance but to act alongside it to bring home every deported child, detained civilian, and prisoner of war.
Mark D. Wiseman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S.; H.E. Anniken Huitfeldt, Norway's ambassador to the U.S.; and Denys Sienik, chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Ukraine in the U.S., co-authored the original statement, underscoring the diplomatic urgency of the issue.
