A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced a bill to label Russia and Belarus state sponsors of terrorism due to the abduction of Ukrainian children.

Source: Axios, as reported by European Pravda

Details:On Thursday 11 September, Senators Lindsey Graham, Richard Blumenthal, Amy Klobuchar and Katie Britt introduced a new bill intended to increase pressure on the Kremlin. The legislation would label Russia and Belarus as state sponsors of terrorism if they fail to return the over 19,000 children Ukraine says were abducted during the war.

Currently, the US list of state sponsors of terrorism includes only Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria.

Quote from Graham: "It's hard to get on that list. Well, let me tell you, Russia's earned the right to be on this list."

More details:Graham added that the group would urge leaders of both parties to allow discussion and a vote on the measure: "We want to put it in motion right now."

The senator is also seeking White House support for a separate bipartisan sanctions bill against Russia, which already has more than 80 co-sponsors.

Quote:"We're going to try to create another front against Putin's Russia. The Russians have invaded Ukraine and they have kidnapped, we think, 19,546 Ukrainian children away from their families in Ukraine. What's the right answer? Do something about it. Get off our ass as a world and make this, like, unacceptable."

Background: 

• Since 2022, Ukraine has been urging the US to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. This would isolate Moscow internationally and require Washington to impose further restrictions on countries interacting with the Kremlin.
• However, the Biden administration rejected the request, arguing that it would limit US flexibility in engaging with Russia and hamper any diplomatic efforts to end the war.
• In 2023, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly called Russia a state sponsor of the Wagner Group terrorist organisation.

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