Another group of children taken to Russia may come back to Ukraine before holidays - Qatar's PM

Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said this in an interview with CBS News, Ukrinform reports.

When asked by journalists whether there is any hope of bringing home more Ukrainian children in the near future, Al Thani said that efforts are being taken and that Qatar is using the channels of communication it has with Russia to do so.

“Qatar has been mediating in different conflicts that not only exclusive to the region. But even beyond that. And this is something that's been in the foundation of the country foreign policy. And it's- it's a core element- element that we are focusing on. And this- we see that this is a contribution of such a small country to international peace and security. We carried out this role based on the request at the beginning, from the Ukrainian in our constant exchange and communication with them, how we are able to help and we use the channels of communication and the relationship that we have with Russia to secure those four kids (a group of Ukrainian children who were returned to Ukraine in October — ed.). And this, these efforts are- has been ongoing and still continuing. And we are hoping also for another group to come back to their families before the holidays, hopefully,” the Prime Minister of Qatar said.

At the same time, he did not specify which group of Ukrainian children he was talking about and how many of them would be returned to Ukraine.

“Well, until now, the numbers are not clear yet, so I won't disclose it until we have, you know, this solidified and finalized,” he said.

As reported by Ukrinform, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said that Qatar was ready to join as an intermediary in the process of returning Ukrainian civilian hostages who had been deported to Russia or are in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

In October, it became known that Qatar had facilitated the return of four Ukrainian children who had been taken to Russia.