US Lawmakers Unite to Condemn Russia’s Abduction of Ukrainian Children

In a rare show of unity, American lawmakers have come together to denounce Russia’s large-scale abduction of Ukrainian children, calling it one of the most serious crimes of the war.

On June 30, Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Michael McCaul (R-TX), the leading Democrat and Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan resolution demanding that Russia return all Ukrainian children taken during its invasion.

“Putin is a war criminal, and under his watch, the Russian military has cruelly abducted and illegally deported tens of thousands of Ukrainian children,” Meeks said in an official statement. “These atrocities are not isolated incidents; they are part of Putin’s strategy to destroy Ukraine’s future.”

According to McCaul, Russia has removed at least 19,500 children since the war began in 2022. Some estimates suggest the true number may be as high as 200,000. Many children have been separated from their families and placed in Russian homes or institutions, where they are pressured to give up their Ukrainian identity.

“These children have been stripped of their national identity, adopted into Russian families, or indoctrinated as future soldiers for the Kremlin,” McCaul said. “Russia’s mass-scale child abduction is nothing short of evil. The United States must lead by example and demand that every child be returned home.”

International human rights groups have warned that these forced transfers could be considered war crimes or even acts of genocide. Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian officials accused of organizing the deportations.

The resolution also calls for new sanctions on individuals responsible for the abductions and for additional resources to help locate and reunite children with their families.

While the child abductions have gained global attention, the war’s civilian toll has continued to grow. According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, between December 2024 and May 2025, at least 968 civilians were killed and 4,807 were injured in Ukraine. This marks a 37% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

Meeks stressed that the United States has a moral responsibility to act. “Every day these children remain separated from their families is another day their childhood is stolen,” he said. “We must stand with Ukraine until every child comes home.”