US Senators Introduce Bill to Help Abducted Ukrainian Children Using Frozen Russian Assets
A new bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate aims to strengthen American support for Ukraine in identifying and returning children abducted by Russia, holding perpetrators accountable, and potentially using frozen Russian sovereign assets to aid affected children, The Gaze reports.
The legislative initiative was announced by Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Olena Kondratiuk, who welcomed the move in a Facebook post:
“The President of the United States could gain the authority to use frozen Russian assets to assist Ukrainian children abducted by Russia!”
The proposed legislation, co-authored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), outlines a comprehensive support framework for Ukrainian efforts to recover children illegally taken from occupied territories by the Russian Federation.
According to the bill, U.S. government bodies and federal agencies would be authorized to provide Ukraine with both technical and strategic assistance, including:
- Helping identify abducted children, collect information (including open-source intelligence), and assist in prosecuting those responsible for these crimes.
- Offering medical and psychological care, legal aid, housing, education, and family reunification services for returned children.
- Aligning U.S. sanctions lists with those of the United Kingdom and the European Union to more effectively target individuals involved in the abductions.
- Empowering the U.S. President to use any frozen Russian sovereign assets located in the United States for the purposes outlined in the legislation.
“This is a vital initiative that provides not only tangible support for the reintegration of children already returned but also practical assistance in identifying those still missing and ensuring justice,” Kondratiuk said. “I hope this bill gains broad support in the U.S. Congress.”
Read more on The Gaze: Yale Experts: Up to 35,000 Ukrainian Children May Be Held in Russia or Occupied Territories