US Senate Advances Bill to Designate Russia as State Sponsor of Terrorism | AI News Digest
In a significant political development, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has moved forward with a bipartisan initiative to classify Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, a response to the reported abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children. Senator Lindsey Graham announced the committee's approval of the Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act, which aims to exert pressure on Russia to return more than 19,000 Ukrainian children taken from the country’s occupied territories. If the bill becomes law, it would mandate the U.S. Secretary of State to provide a report on the repatriation efforts within 60 days, threatening potential economic and diplomatic consequences for Russia if it fails to comply. Graham underscored the necessity of holding Russia accountable for its actions, labeling them as some of the most heinous since World War II. Additionally, the legislation stipulates that Russia must cease attacks on civilian targets in order for the designation to be reconsidered.
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