At a 15 Aug. summit at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump hand-delivered Russian President Vladimir Putin a personal letter from First Lady Melania Trump, according to White House officials. The two-page note, released publicly over the weekend, urges Putin to “protect the innocence of these children … with the stroke of a pen” and says he could “single-handedly restore their melodic laughter.” Citing reports that thousands of Ukrainian minors have been taken to Russia since the 2022 invasion, the First Lady ends the appeal with the words, “It is time.” President Trump told reporters the missive was “very well received” and said Melania Trump had asked him to make the humanitarian issue a priority ahead of his talks with Putin, which he described as “extremely productive” even though no cease-fire was announced. When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump at the White House on 18 Aug., he opened by thanking both the President and the First Lady for drawing attention to the abducted children. Zelensky also handed Trump a letter from his wife, Olena Zelenska, expressing gratitude for Melania Trump’s initiative. The exchange highlights how the forced transfer of Ukrainian children—an issue Kyiv says affects at least 20,000 minors—is becoming a focal point in diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the three-year-old war.