Toronto, Canada: Ukraine and Norway Join Canada to Bring War-Held Children, Civilians Home

Toronto, Canada, will host a major conference as Canada, Ukraine and Norway join forces to advance the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war from Russian control. Canada, Ukraine and Norway are putting the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war at the centre of a major international conference in Toronto.

On September 28 and 29, 2026, senior officials will gather for Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War. The meeting comes as thousands of Ukrainians remain affected by Russia’s invasion.

Meanwhile, the organisers will focus on tracing people, sharing information, improving humanitarian access and supporting safe returns. Crucially, discussions will also address rehabilitation, reintegration and accountability, giving the conference a practical focus beyond political commitments.

Canada, Ukraine and Norway are preparing to bring international attention back to one of the most difficult humanitarian consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine: the fate of children, civilians and prisoners of war who remain separated from their families and communities.

The three countries will co-host Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War in Toronto, Ontario, on September 28 and 29, 2026.

The event is being positioned as a practical diplomatic effort rather than simply another high-level political gathering. Foreign ministers, senior government representatives and international organisations are expected to examine what has already been achieved, where significant gaps remain and how countries can improve cooperation.

Toronto conference puts humanitarian returns in focus

The conference will address three closely connected challenges arising from the war: the return of Ukrainian children allegedly subjected to unlawful deportation or forcible transfer, civilians unlawfully detained by Russia, and Ukrainian prisoners of war held in captivity.

Canada, Ukraine and Norway say their objective is to strengthen international support for bringing affected people home while improving protection for those who remain under Russian control.

That includes better tracing systems, stronger information-sharing arrangements and more effective coordination between governments and international organisations.

The approach also recognises that returning someone home is only one part of the process.

For children and adults who have experienced detention, displacement or captivity, rehabilitation and reintegration can be equally important. Ukraine’s ability to provide those services, alongside international support, will therefore form part of the discussions in Toronto.

Thousands of Ukrainian children remain affected

The scale of the issue is substantial.

According to figures provided by Ukrainian authorities and cited by Global Affairs Canada, 20,651 records of possible unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia have been confirmed.

At the same time, 2,573 children have been returned to Ukraine from situations involving deportation, forcible transfer and temporary occupation.

Those figures underline both progress and the size of the remaining challenge.

The international response has increasingly focused on identifying individual children, establishing their whereabouts, maintaining family connections and creating practical routes for safe return.

Canada and Ukraine currently co-chair the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, established in Kyiv in February 2024. The coalition has grown to 51 members, including states and international organisations.

Detained civilians add another major challenge

The situation involving civilians is similarly difficult to quantify.

Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights had confirmed 1,878 civilians unlawfully detained by Russia as of June 2026. However, the office has warned that the actual number could be substantially higher.

Some civil society organisations have estimated that the total could reach 20,000.

The disparity between confirmed cases and broader estimates demonstrates one of the central problems facing international efforts: reliable information about individuals in detention is often incomplete.

Consequently, the Toronto conference will focus on information-sharing, tracing and humanitarian access, alongside efforts to establish contact between detainees and their families.

Reliable information about a person’s status and whereabouts can be critical for relatives who may otherwise have no clear way of knowing whether a family member is alive, where they are being held or what conditions they face.

Prisoners of war remain a key priority

Prisoners of war will form the third major pillar of the conference.

The Government of Ukraine does not publicly disclose the exact number of Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. However, the figures released by Canada show the scale of previous returns.

As of August 2026, 9,529 Ukrainian military personnel and civilians had been returned from Russian captivity.

The conference will examine ways to strengthen international efforts to protect prisoners of war and facilitate their return in accordance with international humanitarian law.

For countries involved in the diplomatic process, the challenge is not limited to negotiating exchanges. It also involves gathering information, protecting detainees, maintaining family contact and ensuring that international legal obligations remain central to discussions.

From political pledges to practical action

The Toronto meeting builds on commitments made at the 2024 Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula and the resulting Montreal Pledge.

The organisers intend to assess progress since those commitments were made and identify measures capable of producing tangible results.

That distinction is important.

International conferences can generate political commitments, but their effectiveness ultimately depends on whether those commitments translate into operational cooperation. Tracing databases, information-sharing mechanisms, family contact, humanitarian access and return pathways are therefore likely to remain central to the discussions.

The conference will include ministerial plenary sessions, thematic discussions and expert-level exchanges.

Protection must continue before and after return

The three-country initiative also takes a broader view of humanitarian protection.

For people still under Russian control, priorities include humanitarian access, family communication and credible information about their circumstances.

For those who return, Ukraine faces the longer-term task of rehabilitation and reintegration.

That may include helping individuals reconnect with families, communities and institutions after prolonged separation, detention or captivity. The conference is expected to consider how international partners can support these efforts while also strengthening accountability for alleged violations of international law.

Canada expands its role in Ukraine support

Canada has made the humanitarian and broader Ukraine response a significant part of its international policy.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Canada says it has committed more than C$26 billion in multifaceted support for Ukraine, including more than C$750 million for recovery and reconstruction.

Ottawa has also imposed more than 3,500 sanctions in response to Russia’s violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

In addition, Canada recently extended Operation UNIFIER until 2029, continuing Canadian Armed Forces training and support for Ukraine’s armed forces.

Canada, Ukraine and Norway also co-chair the Kyiv-based Working Group on the Human Dimension, which coordinates international advocacy concerning deported Ukrainian children, unlawfully detained civilians and prisoners of war.

“Canada, Ukraine and Norway are taking an important step by placing the safe return and protection of Ukrainian children, civilians and prisoners of war firmly on the international agenda. The Toronto conference demonstrates why coordinated diplomacy matters when humanitarian challenges cross borders. From a global travel and tourism perspective, peace, safety, family reunification and human dignity are fundamental to rebuilding destinations and restoring confidence in international travel. Supporting rehabilitation and reintegration is equally significant because recovery is not complete when someone simply returns home. The real measure of progress is whether people can rebuild their lives with dignity and security. This conference can help strengthen practical cooperation, information sharing and humanitarian pathways. We welcome every meaningful effort that advances peace, protects vulnerable people and creates the conditions for Ukraine’s communities, economy and tourism sector to recover sustainably in the future.”, says Anup Kumar Kesha, Editor-in-Chief, TTW

Why the Toronto meeting matters

The significance of the Toronto conference extends beyond diplomacy between Canada, Ukraine and Norway.

The three issues being discussed — children separated from their homes, civilians held in detention and prisoners of war in captivity — involve fundamental humanitarian and legal concerns.

By bringing governments and international organisations together, Canada, Ukraine and Norway are seeking to create a more coordinated framework for identifying affected people, protecting them while they remain in Russian control and supporting them after return.

For the international community, the key test will be whether the September meeting can convert existing commitments into measurable progress.

For families waiting for information or reunion, however, the stakes are far more immediate: knowing where their loved ones are, protecting them while they remain separated and creating credible pathways for them to come home.

The cause is the continuing humanitarian impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine, including the alleged unlawful transfer of children, civilian detention and captivity of prisoners of war. The answer is stronger international coordination. Canada, Ukraine and Norway will use the Toronto conference to improve tracing, information sharing, humanitarian access and return pathways. The reason this matters is straightforward: political promises alone cannot reunite families. Practical cooperation can. By involving governments and international organisations, the conference can help close information gaps, strengthen protection and support people after they return. Ultimately, its value will be measured by tangible humanitarian outcomes, not simply declarations or diplomatic statements.

Toronto will become an important international meeting point for efforts to address the fate of Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war. Canada, Ukraine and Norway are bringing the issue into sharper diplomatic focus on September 28 and 29, 2026. The conference will build on previous commitments while concentrating on practical cooperation. It will examine how countries can improve tracing, information sharing, humanitarian access and pathways for return. At the same time, participants will consider rehabilitation and reintegration for people who make it home, alongside accountability for alleged violations of international law. The numbers demonstrate the scale of the challenge, with thousands of children and civilians affected and more than 9,500 Ukrainians already returned from Russian captivity. Therefore, the Toronto meeting represents an effort to turn international concern into coordinated action, while keeping the safe return, protection and long-term recovery of affected Ukrainians firmly at the centre.

Image: The Council of Europe, Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law