US Senate Committee approves bills to recognize Russia as state sponsor of terrorism, seize its assets – ambassador
At a meeting on Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved bills to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism if it does not return Ukrainian children, to confiscate and transfer frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's needs, as well as to impose sanctions against Chinese organizations and individuals who export weapons to Russia.
"Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved a number of important bills for Ukraine that will increase the cost of aggression and bring us closer to a lasting, just peace. We are grateful to the co-authors of these initiatives from both parties," Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Olha Stefanishyna said in Telegram on Wednesday.
According to her, bill S.2805 on declaring Russia a state sponsor of terrorism in the event that Russia does not return over 19,000 Ukrainian children provides that no later than 60 days after the law enters into force, the U.S. Secretary of State must submit to the U.S. Congress a report that must establish and certify that Ukrainian children abducted by Russia since the full-scale invasion have been reunited with their families/guardians and that the process of reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is ongoing. If the U.S. Secretary of State cannot certify this, he will immediately recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Bill S.2918 on implementing the "REPO" law on confiscating frozen assets of Russia and transferring them to the needs of Ukraine – provides for the transfer of all frozen Russian sovereign assets in the amount of approximately $5 billion under U.S. jurisdiction to an interest-bearing account. "The document calls on the U.S. President to redirect at least $250 million from this account to Ukraine every 90 days. The bill also provides for an active diplomatic campaign to convince U.S. allies to start redirecting at least 5% (approximately $15 billion) of Russian assets to Ukraine," the diplomat said.
According to Stefanishyna, bill S.2657 "Stop China and Russia Act of 2025" is intended to prevent China from supporting the Russian war in coordination with U.S. allies and partners, in particular by blocking financial channels and imposing sanctions on Chinese organizations and individuals involved in the export of weapons and dual-use technologies to Russia.
