A resolution calling for the return of abducted Ukrainian children before finalizing any peace agreement to end the war against Ukraine.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 236 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 236

Calling for the return of abducted Ukrainian children before finalizing 
          any peace agreement to end the war against Ukraine.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 20, 2025

 Mr. Grassley (for himself, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
    Wicker, Mr. Fetterman, and Mr. Scott of Florida) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Calling for the return of abducted Ukrainian children before finalizing 
          any peace agreement to end the war against Ukraine.

Whereas the United States Government is working to bring an end to Russia's war 
        against Ukraine and restore peace in Europe;
Whereas, as of April 16, 2025, Ukrainian authorities have received at least 
        19,546 confirmed reports of unlawful deportations and forced transfers 
        of Ukrainian children to the territory of the Russian Federation, the 
        Republic of Belarus, or Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory;
Whereas, as of April 16, 2025, Ukraine and its partners have managed to return 
        1,274 abducted Ukrainian children from the Russian Federation, the 
        Republic of Belarus, or occupied Ukrainian territory;
Whereas Russia's abduction and Russification of Ukrainian children demonstrates 
        the intent of the Government of the Russian Federation to erase the 
        Ukrainian nation and identity;
Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has changed its adoption laws 
        since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 for the purpose of 
        forcibly adopting children abducted from Ukraine in order to raise them 
        as Russian citizens, erased of their Ukrainian names, language, and 
        identity;
Whereas, on June 16, 2022, Russian authorities announced that children born in 
        occupied Ukrainian territories after the February 24, 2022, invasion 
        will be deemed Russian citizens, in violation of Ukrainian law and the 
        Fourth Geneva Convention;
Whereas the Department of State's 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report found that 
        Russia recruits or uses child soldiers as defined under the Child 
        Soldiers Prevention Act, is documented as having a state-sponsored 
        policy or pattern of human trafficking, and is among the worst hubs for 
        human trafficking in the world;
Whereas the United States has sanctioned at least 32 individuals and three 
        entities of the Russian Federation and its occupying forces and the 
        Republic of Belarus for being involved in the abduction and re-education 
        of Ukrainian children and human rights violations of Ukrainian minors;
Whereas Maria Lvova-Belova, Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of 
        Russia, admitted to abducting and forcibly transferring Ukrainian 
        children and facilitating forced adoptions to Russian families;
Whereas the unlawful deportation or transfer of protected people constitutes a 
        grave breach of the Geneva Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of 
        Civilian Persons in Time of War, Article 147, done at Geneva August 12, 
        1949;
Whereas forcibly transferring children of one group to another group is a 
        violation of Article II(e) of the Genocide Convention, of which the 
        Russian Federation is a party; and
Whereas hundreds of thousands of children still reside in the occupied 
        territories of Ukraine, where they face attempts at Russification by 
        occupation authorities; Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the Government of the Russian Federation's 
        abduction, forcible transfer, and facilitation of the illegal 
        deportation of Ukrainian children;
            (2) notes with concern that the invasion of Ukraine by the 
        Russian Federation has significantly increased the risks of 
        children being exposed to human trafficking and exploitation, 
        child labor, sexual violence, hunger, injury, trauma, 
        deprivation of education and shelter, and death;
            (3) supports bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful and 
        just conclusion; and
            (4) urges that all Ukrainian children abducted by the 
        Government of the Russian Federation be returned before 
        finalizing any peace agreement.
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