The International Coalition of Countries for the Return of Ukrainian Children deported by Russia could become an arbitrator instead of the UN, Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Olena Kondratiuk has said.

"The world should reinstate a peremptory arbitrator whose role has been performed by the UN for years. But now, without a fundamental reform of this organization and decisive actions, such arbitrator does not exist in the world anymore… The only option I can see is the creation of a political coalition of the countries of the world which, by their geopolitical wight, summary share in the global economy, and consolidation, will convince the world […] that deportation of children is unambiguously a crime that must be punished. I am very glad that today the creation of such a coalition kicked off," she said at the first meeting of the international coalition in Kyiv on Friday.

Kondratiuk recalled that, according to the latest updates, some 19,546 junior Ukrainians were deported or removed by force, the press service of the Verkhovna Rada said.

"Only a few hundred [children] were returned... Russia is not making any contacts, the UN and the Red Cross are powerless. Human rights experts say this is the first time they have seen children used so brutally in military conflicts. And this is one of the signs of genocide. The genocide that Russia commits against the Ukrainian people," she said.

The creation of the coalition will help to develop effective mechanisms for the return home of Ukrainian children who were removed by force, Kondratiuk said.