March 28, 2025 – The U.S. State Department has announced short-term funding for the Ukraine Conflict Observatory, an initiative documenting the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. The program, led by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, was paused on January 25 following a directive from President Donald Trump to review spending on initiatives deemed misaligned with American interests.
Ukraine has reported that over 19,500 children have been forcibly taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territories during the ongoing war, labeling the abductions as war crimes and genocide under U.N. treaties. Russia, however, claims the evacuations were voluntary and aimed at protecting children from conflict zones.
The temporary funding will allow the Conflict Observatory to transfer critical data on the abducted children to appropriate authorities. Democratic lawmakers have urged the Trump administration to restore the program, citing concerns over the potential loss of valuable information, including satellite imagery and data on approximately 30,000 children.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of war crimes related to the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. Russia has dismissed the warrants as “outrageous and unacceptable.”
The program’s termination has sparked debate over the balance between fiscal responsibility and humanitarian priorities, as well as the broader implications for accountability in the ongoing conflict.