Talks on repatriating Ukrainian children from Russia under way since at least April -source

FILE PHOTO: Alla Yatsentiuk embraces her 14-year-old son Danylo, who went to a Russian-organised summer camp from non-government controlled territories and was then taken to Russia, after returning via the Ukraine-Belarus border, in Volyn region, Ukraine April 7, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo

KYIV (Reuters) - Talks being mediated by Saudi Arabia and Turkey on the repatriation of Ukrainian thousands of children taken to Russia since Moscow's invasion have been under way since at least April, a source with knowledge of the discussions said on Wednesday.

The source confirmed a Financial Times report that Riyadh and Istanbul were trying to broker a deal to bring home children who have been have been taken to Russia and placed in children's homes or adopted by Russian families.