Why First Lady Olena Zelenska wrote Melania Trump a letter

Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska has thanked US First Lady Melania Trump for imploring Vladimir Putin to protect children.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveWhy Ukraine's first lady wrote Melania Trump a letter9 minutes agoShareSaveTom McArthurBBC NewsShareSaveAFP/GettyMelania Trump was due to be handed a letter written by Olena Zelenska Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky gave Donald Trump a letter of gratitude for his wife Melania, written by Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska, during their Oval Office meeting on Monday.

Zelensky said the letter was to thank Melania for raising awareness about at least 19,500 Ukrainian children his government says have been abducted by Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Melania earlier sent Russian President Vladimir Putin her own letter imploring him to consider children, saying that "in protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone - you serve humanity".

Her letter did not reference any specific children.

Over the weekend, the White House shared on social media the letter to Putin.