Four Ukrainian children, who were taken to Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, will be reunited with their relatives thanks to Qatar's mediation, according to officials. The children,

aged between two and 17, have been residing at the Qatari embassy in Moscow while Doha mediated discussions between Russian and Ukrainian authorities.

These children include one who was separated from their mother, who is detained in Russia, and another who lost contact with their mother while in a Russian hospital during the outbreak of the war.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin and Maria-Lvova Belova, Russia's children's rights commissioner, over the alleged illegal deportations.

An anonymous diplomat involved in the process stated, "Both Ukrainian and Russian officials have been cooperative in ensuring the safety and security of the children and their departure to Ukraine. The minors, during their period of separation from their families in Russia, were provided with the relevant care and treatment by the Russian government."

These four children will return to Ukraine via third countries, including Qatar, Estonia, Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Qatar referred to the children's return as a "positive step and a gesture of goodwill between the Ukrainian and Russian governments." Lolwah Al Khater, the Minister of State for International Cooperation, expressed hope that this initiative would lead to further steps in de-escalating tensions and building trust between the two parties.

Qatar, known for its role as a mediator in international disputes, has previously acted as a broker in various negotiations, including last month's Iran-US prisoner exchange. Photo by TagMorgan, Wikimedia commons.