US Senators Demand Return of Kidnapped Ukrainian Children as Precondition for Peace Deal
A bipartisan coalition of prominent U.S. Senators has introduced a resolution urging the unconditional return of all Ukrainian children abducted by Russian forces before any peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine is signed.
The resolution, spearheaded by Senators Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar, with five bipartisan co-sponsors including Joni Ernst, Dick Durbin, Roger Wicker, John Fetterman, and Rick Scott, highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis involving the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children.
According to Ukrainian officials, as of April 16, 2025, there are at least 19,546 verified reports of children unlawfully deported or forcibly relocated to Russia, Belarus, or territories under Russian occupation. The Senators condemned these actions as gross violations of international law and human rights, noting that many children have suffered from trafficking, exploitation, forced labor, sexual abuse, trauma, and even death.
Senator Grassley emphasized, “Thousands of Ukrainian children have been abducted in an effort to erase their cultural identity through forced Russification. The United States must insist on their return as a non-negotiable condition before any peace deal is finalized.”
Senator Klobuchar added, “This mass kidnapping is a horrific atrocity. We cannot tolerate a world where children become pawns in wartime negotiations. Their safe and immediate return must be guaranteed unconditionally.”
The resolution has garnered support from several influential organizations, including World Relief, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Christian Life Commission & Center for Cultural Engagement (Texas Baptists), Peace & Power Ukraine Host Gary Marx, and Razom for Ukraine, a major U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting Ukraine.
Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director of Yale School of Public Health Humanitarian Research Lab, commended the Senators’ resolution as a vital step to ensure the prompt return of abducted children and to uphold the principles of the Geneva Conventions.
As The Gaze reported earlier, on May 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he had his first-ever conversation with newly elected Pope Leo XIV, during which a key topic was the thousands of Ukrainian children deported by Russia, with Zelenskyy noting that Ukraine is counting on the Vatican’s assistance in returning them to their families.