The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has unanimously advanced the Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act (S. 2978), led by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). The legislation, introduced in September by Senators Graham, Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law if it does not return more than 19,000 Ukrainian children reportedly taken during the ongoing war.
Senator Graham first proposed this legislative action with Senator Blumenthal in May 2025. The bill is intended to increase pressure on Russia to achieve peace and secure the safe return of these children.
“I am very pleased that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously reported out my bill with Senators Blumenthal, Britt and Klobuchar to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law if they do not return the almost 20,000 Ukrainian children they kidnapped from occupied areas. These kidnappings by Putin’s Russia represent one of the most outrageous events since World War II,” said Graham.
He also expressed gratitude for committee leadership: “I am very grateful to Chairman Risch, Ranking Member Shaheen and all of my colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for getting this legislation out of committee and sending it to the floor. I also appreciate Chairman Risch’s inclusion of provisions that require Russia, in addition to returning all the kidnapped children, to cease its attacks on civilian infrastructure and assassination attempts against political targets in order to have the state sponsor of terrorism designation removed.”
Graham added, “Making Russia a state sponsor of terrorism would be devastating to Russia’s economy. It is a necessary consequence of Putin’s behavior if these kidnapped children are not returned home.”
According to Ukraine, at least 19,546 Ukrainian children have been abducted or displaced by Russia since February 2022. Reports indicate that these actions target children ranging from infants up to 17 years old. Authorities claim that Russian authorities subject some children to educational programs promoting allegiance to Russia and military training.
Ukraine further estimates that over 600 Ukrainian children have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded since the conflict began.
Under S. 2978, within sixty days after its passage, the Secretary of State must report whether all abducted or displaced Ukrainian children have been safely reunited with their families or guardians and reintegrated into Ukrainian society; also required is confirmation that Russia has stopped attacks on civilian infrastructure and ceased assassination attempts against political targets. If these conditions are not met, then under U.S. law Russia would be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Currently recognized state sponsors include Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria.
