SA bid to save Ukrainian children

South Africa and the Vatican joined Qatar at a conference in Montreal on Thursday in offering to mediate and facilitate the return of about 20,000 Ukrainian children from Russia.

- 

The "Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine's Peace Formula" brought together representatives from 70 countries.

"Children, civilians and prisoners of war must be allowed to return home," Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in announcing an agreement by delegates on steps to "bring these people back home".

Qatar, South Africa and the Vatican, she said, would serve as intermediaries to support and negotiate the return of the children. Lithuania and Qatar would act as transit countries.