Canada will co-host an international conference in Toronto later this month aimed at securing the return of Ukrainian children, detained civilians and prisoners of war held by Russia. Foreign Minister Anita Anand announced on Saturday that Canada, Ukraine and Norway will host the two-day conference on September 28-29. The event, called Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on the Return of Ukrainian Children, Civilian Detainees and Prisoners of War, will bring together foreign ministers, senior government representatives and international organizations. and reintegration services,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement. Ukrainian authorities have documented 20,651 cases of possible illegal deportation or forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia, according to the federal government. So far, 2,573 children have been returned following deportations, forcible transfers and temporarily occupied territories. As of June, Ukraine’s parliamentary human rights commissioner had confirmed that Russia was illegally detaining 1,878 Civilians. Global Affairs Canada said the true figure could be significantly higher, with some civil society organizations estimating that up to 20,000 civilians could be detained. Ukraine does not disclose the exact number of prisoners of war held by Russia. Get daily national news delivered to your inbox so you never miss the day’s top stories. in Toronto will discuss ways to strengthen tracking and information sharing and establish pathways for people to return to Ukraine. The conference will also focus on humanitarian access and family contact for those remaining under Russian control. The meeting comes as Russia intensifies its air campaign against Ukraine. Russian strikes killed eight civilians and injured dozens more in Ukraine, according to local officials. Kryvyi Rih. In Odessa and the surrounding region, 35 people were injured in what regional officials described as a “massive attack.” Story continues below ad 1:26 Carney says he would tell Putin to “get out of Ukraine” if the latter attends upcoming G20 summit More on the world More videos Three people were also killed when drones attacked vehicles in Kramatorsk, while two others were killed in a Russian attack on a grocery store in the region of Zhytomyr The attacks came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the deployment of European troops in Ukraine would mean direct conflict with Russia. Ukraine That means war with Russia,” Putin said Friday during a summit of the BRICS group of emerging economies in India. Some European leaders have promised to support a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine as part of a future peace deal, a proposal Moscow has repeatedly rejected. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview published Saturday that he would be willing to meet with Putin if both leaders were invited to the G20 summit in Miami in December. Canada has committed more than $26 billion in multifaceted support to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s large-scale invasion, including more than $750 million for recovery and reconstruction, according to the federal government. 4:46 Trump says Putin wants peace deal for Ukraine amid continued attacks © 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.