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US resorts to double standards on adoption of children from Ukraine — Russian ombudswoman

The US Congress urged the Kiev authorities in early December to lift Ukraine’s ban on the adoption of Ukrainian children by American citizens

OMSK, December 12. /TASS/. The United States, which has urged Ukraine to revoke its ban on the adoption of children by foreign nationals, is resorting to double standards in this area, Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova told TASS on Tuesday.

The US Congress urged the Kiev authorities in early December to lift Ukraine’s ban on the adoption of Ukrainian children by American citizens. The restriction on adoptions by foreigners was introduced by Ukraine in March 2022.

"On the one hand, the United States has accused us [Russia] of forcibly deporting children and placing them in families, although they were children coming from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics [DPR and LPR], which previously stated their desire to become a part of Russia," Lvova-Belova stated.

"At the same time, they [the US] are now voicing dissatisfaction over the ban on adopting children [in Ukraine]. This is the type of double standard that we have repeatedly spoken about," she continued.

According to her, Russia’s previously imposed restrictions on adoption of children by foreigners has helped foster the development of a system for providing assistance to such children’s birth families.

"This is our priority: to make sure that children are placed with their birth families, to help these families to have stability in order to provide a proper upbringing for these children," Lvova-Belova said. "We all see that the number of children placed in institutions [orphanages] is on the decline.".

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