"It is very important for major countries, including India, to join the coalition for the return of children. We would very much like India to assist with this. About 40 countries are part of the coalition and will be working, but unfortunately, very few countries have been able to return our children," said Zelensky.
He responded to a question about how India could specifically help in the return of forcibly deported children.
"Join the coalition for the return of children, support our communiqué from the peace summit, because the third point was about the return of children. Call [illegitimate Russian President Vladimir] Putin and make him return the children. Modi can do this; he has significant influence. Just tell him directly: 'Give me back 1,000 children, and I will return them to Ukraine.' And that is a real step. He [Putin] took tens of thousands. Let Modi return 1,000. If every influential person could return 1,000 children to us, we would be able to bring home most of our kids," the president stated.
According to Zelensky, this issue needs to be raised at the G20 meeting. He noted that each leader could take responsibility and return a certain number of Ukrainian children home.