COPENHAGEN, 14 October 2025 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons (Spain) has appointed Swedish parliamentarian Carina Ödebrink as Special Envoy on the issue of Russian abductions and deportations of Ukrainian children. The appointment follows his recent visit to Kyiv, during which the urgent plight of these children was recognized as a key priority, including by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ödebrink has been deeply involved in this issue through her role as Special Rapporteur for the OSCE PA Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine (PSTU), as well as in her capacity as Rapporteur for the Assembly’s Third General Committee. In July, she published a detailed report titled “Russian Abductions and Deportations of Ukrainian Children”, which calls for enhanced international co-operation, particularly through the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children and President Zelensky’s “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative.

President Pons emphasized that the appointment reflects the OSCE PA’s longstanding commitment to this issue. The Assembly’s last four Declarations have all addressed the unlawful deportations by Russia, explicitly supporting the establishment of the International Coalition and urging OSCE participating States to join. Commenting on her new role, Ödebrink stated: “It is vital that we join forces across international platforms, coalitions, and assemblies to put an end to Russia’s unlawful abductions. Together, we can help bring these children home.”

For more information on the mandate of Special Envoy Ödebrink, please visit the OSCE PA’s Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine web page.