U.S. Congress moves to condemn Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children

The House Foreign Affairs Committee released the announcement on Monday, June 30.

Meeks and McCaul wrote in the resolution that Russia must return the children before Ukraine signs any peace agreement.

“Putin is a war criminal and, under his watch, the Russian military has cruelly abducted and illegally deported tens of thousands of Ukrainian children from their homeland," Meeks said.

He emphasized that these crimes don't represent isolated incidents. “They show the direct consequences of the war Putin started.”

“The United States has a responsibility to condemn these unconscionable acts by Russia and to demand the immediate return of each and every one of the children Russia has taken,” Meeks added.

McCaul pointed out that Russia has already abducted at least 19,500 Ukrainian children since the full-scale invasion began, and some estimates suggest that number could reach 200,000.

“These children have been stripped of their national identity, adopted into Russian families, or indoctrinated as soldiers for the Kremlin,” he said.

As a father, I can’t imagine the pain their families have experienced. Russia’s mass-scale child abduction is nothing short of evil; the United States must demonstrate moral leadership by demanding every child be returned to his or her family in Ukraine before true peace can be achieved.”

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also introduced a companion resolution in the U.S. Senate.

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres reported a sharp rise in child rights violations by Russia in Ukraine and again added its army to the “list of shame.”