On December 3, the U.S. Senate held a hearing “The Abduction of Ukrainian Children by the Russian Federation”, chaired by Senator Lindsey Graham.

Senators Richard Blumenthal and Amy Klobuchar, together with Representatives Michael McCaul and Brian Fitzpatrick, addressed Russia’s mass abduction of Ukrainian children and the urgent need for concrete U.S. action.

The second panel heard testimony from Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S Olga Stefanishyna, Mykola Kuleba (Save Ukraine), Maksym Maksymov (Bring Kids Back UA), Kateryna Rashevska (Regional Center for Human Rights), and Nathaniel Raymond (Yale Humanitarian Research Lab).

All speakers underscored one core truth: the unconditional return of every abducted Ukrainian child is a non-negotiable starting point for any just peace. Russia’s abductions are a deliberate state policy aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity, violating international law, and weaponizing children to change borders.

Witnesses detailed how children are re-registered, given new citizenship, subjected to propaganda and militarized programs, and pressured to reject their families and country—leaving deep trauma even after they return.

Senators stressed that sustained U.S. leadership is vital to hold Russia accountable and bring every child home. Ambassador Stefanishyna called on the U.S. Congress to pass the Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act as soon as possible, which would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism if it fails to return the abducted Ukrainian children.