Brussels: Russia on Monday criticized a high-level meeting in Brussels on Ukrainian children transferred to Russia, accusing organizers of politicizing the issue as the EU expanded sanctions over the alleged deportation of minors.

According to Anadolu Agency, in a statement published on Telegram, Russia’s Permanent Mission to the European Union said Moscow’s actions since the start of the ‘special military operation’ were aimed at ‘evacuating minors from the combat zone to save their lives and health, as well as reuniting families separated during the Ukrainian conflict.’ The statement denied allegations of the ‘forced displacement or deportation’ of Ukrainian children and said Russia remains open to dialogue on family reunification efforts.

The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which held a high-level meeting in Brussels Monday, said Russia has failed to provide comprehensive information about transferred children or their locations, making identification and repatriation difficult. ‘Even when children are located, bringing them home can be a long and complex process,’ the coalition said in a statement.

Ukraine’s Justice Ministry said Monday that more than 20,000 Ukrainian children have been transferred to Russia or Russian-controlled territories since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. ‘For these children, the disruption has meant not only displacement, but separation from family, loss of community, and an attack on their identity, language, and connection to home,’ said International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.

Russia, on the other hand, claimed that Ukraine submitted a list of 339 children during peace talks in Istanbul last June, adding that much of the information was outdated or inaccurate.

Separately, the EU Council on Monday expanded sanctions against Russia, including 16 individuals and seven entities. ‘The decision targets those responsible for the systematic unlawful deportation, forced transfer, forced assimilation, including indoctrination and militarized education, of Ukrainian minors,’ the council said in a statement.