She made the announcement at the White House on Oct. 10.
“President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication about the welfare of these children,” she said.
“For the past few months, both sides have participated in several back-channel meetings and calls.”
The First Lady said her aides have been working directly with Kremlin officials. According to her, eight Ukrainian children have been reunited with their families “in the past 24 hours.”
“Plans are already underway to reunify more children in the immediate future,” she added.
“I hope peace will come soon. It can begin with our children.”
During the Aug. 15 summit with Putin in Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump gave the dictator a letter from Melania, in which she pleaded to allow illegally deported Ukrainian children to return to their families. Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska later wrote to Melania to thank her for her concern on the matter.