Taoiseach: World should be appalled by reports of Ukrainian children being electrocuted and tortured 

Simon Harris was speaking at a session that heard 20,000 Ukrainian children had been snatched from "their parents, their towns, their villages, their country"

The Taoiseach has told an international peace summit on Ukraine that the world should be appalled by a report of Ukrainian children being interrogated, electrocuted and tortured after being abducted into Russia.

Simon Harris was speaking at a session that heard 20,000 Ukrainian children had been snatched from "their parents, their towns, their villages, their country" and forcibly deported into Russia since the invasion of Ukraine started in 2022.

The Ombudsman for Ukraine report details some of the horrors the children have faced and says if Ukraine was to have one child freed every day it would take 55-years to get all of their children home.

"In a busy world where conflict competes for space we must make sure there is that awareness right across the globe of these horrific war crimes against children," he said. "We must do more than just raise awareness and just define the situation. We need to be restless to take action.

"If we are being honest the world as a collective is not doing nearly enough. We must challenge ourselves and stretch ourselves to do more and ask ourselves what practically can we do more. That will be different for different countries."

The Taoiseach says the world cannot allow this to go unchecked and reports of Russia’s plans for more so-called child “vacations” this summer must be resisted.