(MENAFN- UkrinForm) She said this in a statement published on the European Commission's website, Ukrinform reports.

"A crucial element that must be part of any agreement. The return of each and every Ukrainian child abducted by Russia," von der Leyen said.

She noted that of all the horrors unleashed by Russia's war, none cuts deeper than this.

The EU, together with Ukraine and Canada, will co-host a Summit of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, the statement said.

"Tens of thousands of boys and girls remain trapped in Russia. Frightened and longing for their loved ones. We must place these children at the top of the global agenda," she said.

Read also: U.S. peace plan for Ukraine requires additional work – EU leaders

Von der Leyen highlighted three principal elements required for a just and lasting peace and for safeguarding Ukraine's sovereignty.

The first two relate to the impossibility of changing borders by force and the need to avoid imposing restrictions on Ukraine's Armed Forces, which would leave the country vulnerable to future attacks and undermine European security.

The third concerns securing the EU's central role in ensuring peace for Ukraine.

"Ukraine must have the freedom and sovereign right to choose its own destiny. They have chosen a European destiny. It starts with the country's reconstruction, its integration into our Single Market and our defense industrial base, and ultimately, joining our Union," von der Leyen said.

The statement notes that the EU will continue working closely with Ukraine, member states, the Coalition of the Willing, and the United States to achieve real progress toward peace.

Negotiations on U.S. President Donald Trump's "peace plan" are taking place today in Switzerland with the participation of representatives from the EU and the United Kingdom.

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