This bill would require the Secretary of State to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism unless Moscow returns thousands of Ukrainian children who have been kidnapped or forcibly removed since the February 2022 invasion. The legislation specifically focuses on an estimated 19,546 Ukrainian children that Congress says Russia has taken to Russian territory or Russian-occupied areas, where many are subjected to "re-education" programs designed to erase their Ukrainian identity. Within 60 days of the bill's passage, the Secretary of State must certify whether these children have been returned to their families and are being reintegrated into Ukrainian society. If the Secretary cannot make this certification, Russia would automatically be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism under multiple existing laws, which would trigger additional sanctions and restrictions. The designation could only be lifted after Russia stops supporting international terrorism for three months, provides assurances it won't do so in the future, and returns all the kidnapped Ukrainian children to their families.
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