US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Thursday repeated his promise to push for the labeling of Russia as a sponsor of state terrorism unless Moscow returns to Ukraine thousands of abducted and expatriated young people.
“During the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia has kidnapped over 19,000 Ukrainian children. Stealing children from their home country is a despicable and barbaric act,” he wrote on social media.
“As I have been saying since earlier this year, I intend to push legislation to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism under US law if they do not return the children.
“This designation will make doing business with Putin’s Russia radioactive for other countries and businesses.”
Earlier this week, the Southern senator told Fox News, “I intend to push the return of these children until I can’t push anymore.”
“If they do not return these children to Ukraine, the 19,000, then I’m going to push legislation to make Russia a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law,” the Republican said.
Some Ukrainian officials estimate the number children abducted by Russia at about 35,000 since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Graham has made several trips to Ukraine since the start of hostilities, most recently in May of this year, when he and Democratic Senator from Connecticut Richard Blumenthal met with President Volodymyr Zelensky. They spoke with Zelensky about an initiative to strengthen sanctions against Russia, as well as coordination of diplomatic efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Even before the Alaska peace talks between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin last Friday, Graham then called for security guarantees for Kyiv before inking any deals on the so-called territorial swaps, arguing that land exchanges should only take place “after you have security guarantees to Ukraine to prevent Russia from doing this again.”
“You need to tell Putin what happens if he does it a third time,” Graham added, referencing Moscow’s 2014 and 2022 invasions.