New Bipartisan Bill Could Label Russia a Terrorism Sponsor

A bipartisan coalition of senators introduced a significant piece of legislation on Thursday, aiming to designate Russia as a national sponsor of terrorism. This move comes in response to the alarming reports of thousands of Ukrainian children being forcibly taken during Russia’s ongoing invasion.

If enacted, this bill would place Russia alongside nations like Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria on the list of countries identified as terrorist sponsors by the U.S. The goal is to economically isolate Russia on the global stage.

“This is what terrorists do: they abduct and harm,” Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) stated emphatically. “If Russia wants to avoid being labeled a national sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law, they should return these children.”

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) have also supported this bill. Allegations against Russia highlight the forced relocation of nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children, with claims that they are being prepared for adoption within Russian households and subjected to military training.

Groups like Save Ukraine are raising alarms over concerning Russian databases that contain information on nearly 294 Ukrainian children available for adoption, sortable by attributes like eye color and age.

Ukrainian authorities estimate that over 19,500 children have been unlawfully taken by Russian forces.

Blumenthal described these actions as a “crime against humanity,” labeling Vladimir Putin a war criminal for his alleged attempt to erase Ukraine’s existence through the abduction of its children. He mentioned, “If 20,000 American children were kidnapped, our President would be addressing it daily. We would likely be at war.”

Interestingly, First Lady Melania Trump once raised the issue of missing children in a letter addressed to Putin during a summit in Alaska back in mid-August.

Graham indicated that should this bill pass, it might bar Putin from entering the United States, potentially halting future diplomatic meetings.

Klobuchar added that returning the children to their families should be a prerequisite for Russia’s involvement in any peace negotiations, stating, “If they truly wish to end this conflict, this needs to happen.”

Initially, the senators considered including Belarus—Russia’s neighbor and ally in the war effort—in the list of designated terrorist states. However, recent developments, like Belarus releasing prisoners in a diplomatic gesture, have put that plan on hold for now.

Graham expressed cautious optimism about the situation with Belarus, acknowledging that they are currently focusing their efforts squarely on Russia.

Alongside this bill, Graham and Blumenthal are also collaborating on another measure aimed at imposing secondary tariffs on countries like India and China that continue to trade oil with Russia.

Meanwhile, Trump has suggested that he might bypass the need for these tariffs through executive action, impacting the timeline for imposing sanctions.

Blumenthal reaffirmed the importance of this bipartisan sanctions bill, saying, “This isn’t just any measure; it’s crucial to demonstrate strength after recent events.” He concluded with a reminder: “Feelings alone won’t suffice as a strategy.”