The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday advanced three significant bipartisan bills aimed at increasing pressure on Moscow and its backers nearly three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If passed by the full Senate, the measures would label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, sanction China for supporting Russia’s war effort, and transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.
Terror Designation for Russia Over Kidnapped Children
A key measure moving forward is the “Designating the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act.” The bipartisan bill, championed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Katie Britt (R-AL), would apply the designation to Russia if it fails to return an estimated 19,546 children allegedly kidnapped by the Russian army.
Sen. Blumenthal underscored the urgency, stating that the “overwhelming vote will put on a path to passage, very soon, maybe in the next few weeks, a measure designating Russia as a state-sponsor of terrorism if it refuses to return the 20,000… kidnapped children.” He called the alleged abductions a “war crime” purposefully carried out by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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The bill alleges that Russia seeks the “Russification” of these children, forcing many into “re-education” camps or youth paramilitary organizations with the intent of training them for future deployment in the Russian Armed Forces.
Sanctioning China for War Support
The committee also approved the “Severing Technology Transfer Operations and Partnerships between (STOP) China and Russia Act of 2025,” designed to undercut the economic partnership between Moscow and Beijing that has been effective in skirting sanctions.
This legislation would impose sanctions on Chinese individuals and entities that provide material or technological support to Russia’s military or defense industry amid the war. It also directs the U.S. administration to coordinate with allies on diplomatic and economic actions to curb China’s assistance.
“This legislation would deliver a severe blow to Russia’s economy and trade by cutting off the resources that allow Putin to fund this war,” said Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS). Sen. Blumenthal echoed the sentiment, calling for the use of an “economic sledgehammer” to stop China, India, and Brazil from “fueling Putin’s war machine.”
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Repurposing Frozen Russian Assets for Ukraine
The third bill, the “REPO for Ukrainians Implementation Act of 2025,” aims to strengthen and streamline the process for transferring frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. The bill requires regular disbursements to support Ukraine and urges allied nations to follow suit in repurposing their own seized Russian funds.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) expressed strong distrust for President Putin, stating, “Every time that man’s lips move, he’s lying,” and suggesting that negotiations with him have been “a waste of time for the last three years.”
The committee’s actions align with recent efforts by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is pressing Washington for long-range weapons, having reportedly proposed a trade of thousands of Ukrainian-made drones for U.S. Tomahawk missiles during a recent White House meeting.
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