Russia ends U.S. student exchange program, says teen put in gay couple’s care

Russia has pulled out of a long-running U.S.-funded student exchange programme, accusing the organisers of letting a teenager stay behind in the United States in the care of a gay couple. Moscow’s decision to pull the plug on the largest Russia-U.S. high school exchange programme comes amid a showdown with the United States over Ukraine that also has seen President Vladimir Putin try to curb the spread of Western values.

A child, who has a mother in Russia, has illegally been placed under guardianship, and the boy has been handed over to a U.S. gay couple.

Pavel Astakhov, Russia’s children’s ombudsman

"The child hails from a decent family and is healthy, so it’s unclear what arguments those in the United States have been guided by," said Pavel Astakhov, Russia’s children’s ombudsman, adding that the teenager’s mother did not want to release any further details of the case. He said the teenager had "stayed behind in the United States." Russia does not recognise same-sex marriages and has banned adoptions from countries that legally allow such unions. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow said it could not comment on individual cases but indicated that it regretted the suspension of an exchange programme that served to promote friendly ties.

Europe