Requires the Secretary of State to report to Congress within 60 days on whether Ukrainian children taken from Ukrainian or temporarily occupied territory since Russia’s February 2022 invasion have been reunited with families/guardians and are being fully reintegrated into Ukrainian society. If the Secretary cannot certify both reunification and reintegration, the bill requires immediate designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism; it also sets conditions and a 45‑day waiting period for removing that designation once the Secretary certifies compliance. The law takes effect one day after enactment.
The Russian Federation's aggression in Ukraine has targeted innocent civilians, including children.
The Government of Ukraine estimates that at least 648 Ukrainian children have been killed and at least 2,047 Ukrainian children have been wounded since the start of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The Government of Ukraine estimates that the Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced at least 19,546 Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, Russian-occupied territories, and other locations since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continues to practice such illegal and inhumane actions.
The Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced Ukrainian children as young as a few months to 17 years of age according to reliable reports.
President Putin’s regime seeks the removal of Ukrainian identity from these children through kidnapping, deportation, or displacement to destroy their Ukrainian identity (referred to as "Russification" in the section).
Primary effects fall on Ukrainian children taken or deported from Ukraine since February 2022 and their families: the bill demands verification that children have been returned and are being reintegrated. If the Secretary cannot certify those facts, the Russian Federation would be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, which triggers statutory consequences (sanctions, export controls, restrictions on assistance, and diplomatic implications) that affect Russian state actors and could expand economic and legal pressure. The Department of State is directly affected by new reporting and certification duties and could need to mobilize consular, intelligence, and diplomatic resources to verify family reunifications and reintegration. U.S. foreign policy and relations with allies and partners could be impacted: an SSTA designation is a major diplomatic step that may shape cooperation on sanctions, humanitarian access, and multilateral action. Humanitarian and child‑welfare organizations involved in reunification or reintegration work may see heightened political attention and potential coordination changes. The bill is narrowly targeted but carries broader geopolitical and legal consequences because an SSTA designation triggers multiple statutory restrictions and signals an elevated level of U.S. condemnation and possible downstream sanctions.
Last progress October 7, 2025 (4 months ago)
Introduced on October 7, 2025 by Lindsey O. Graham
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Updated 4 days ago
Last progress September 15, 2025 (5 months ago)
Updated 2 days ago
Last progress October 21, 2025 (3 months ago)