The Liberal Democrats have called on the UK government to provide funding to an American initiative designed to locate Ukrainian children who have been abducted and taken to Russia amid the ongoing war.

This appeal comes as the party convenes for its spring conference, which is significantly focused on the political implications of former President Donald Trump’s administration.

The initiative, known as the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University, has been tracking the estimated 20,000 Ukrainian children reported missing since the Russian invasion began.

Recent announcements revealed that US government backing for the lab has been terminated due to budget cuts implemented under Elon Musk’s newly established department aimed at streamlining governmental operations.

Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrats' foreign affairs spokesperson, emphasized the need for increased British support for this humanitarian effort during a party motion presentation in Harrogate.

The motion expresses 'profound alarm' regarding the international response to Trump’s presidency and advocates for closer cooperation among European nations concerning the situation in Ukraine.

Miller suggested that the funds from the recent sale of Chelsea Football Club, acquired by Roman Abramovich, should be redirected to assist in locating and supporting these children.

He argued that utilizing the £2 billion proceeds from the sale could contribute significantly to alleviating the humanitarian crisis faced by those children and their families.

He noted, "We’d like to think that some of this Abramovich money could be put to exactly those purposes, so this terrible chapter of children being forcibly removed and almost indoctrinated in Russia can be brought to an end.

When those children return to Ukraine, they can be given all the support they need as part of a humanitarian package."

Additionally, Miller has called for urgent action to leverage other frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine, asserting that such measures could be justified given Russia's responsibility for the conflict.

He stated, "This is the aggressor.

What we’re talking about here are assets that either belong to the Russian state or to individuals who have been sanctioned because of their culpability in that conflict.

These are essentially assets of war."

Miller's remarks extended to a critique of the Conservative government's approach to Trump, suggesting that their current strategy is unlikely to regain support from former Conservative voters in areas like his constituency, Bicester and Woodstock.

He expressed confusion regarding the Conservatives' past enthusiasm towards Trump, especially during his inauguration, stating, "It looked unwise at the time, and events since have proven how ill-advised it was."

Miller, who began his political career just four years ago, has a background as a senior civil servant and has held the foreign affairs brief since becoming an MP in July.

His constituency, traditionally Conservative, was among those won by the Liberal Democrats in the last election.

He reported that local residents have shown overwhelming support for Ukrainian families, indicating a significant community effort to assist those displaced by the conflict.

Miller concluded that constituents perceive Russia’s actions as emboldened by American policy, further complicating diplomatic relations.