Two U.S. senators — Republican Lindsey Graham and Democrat Brian Schatz — have initiated Senate hearings on Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children. According to Reuters, the senators chair the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs and aim to summon the U.S. ambassador to Russia to testify before the Senate about the scale of the crime.
Source: Bukvy
Graham and Schatz stated that the hearings will focus on the forced deportation of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children, as well as international efforts aimed at bringing them back home. Human rights groups estimate that Russia has abducted at least 20,000 Ukrainian children, while the Russian side cynically claims that 700,000 have been “evacuated.”
“This is a real crime, and the U.S. government must help establish the facts and correct what has been done,” Schatz emphasized. The senators are already preparing an official invitation for Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Aleksandr Darchiev to appear.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Washington is actively participating in the process, confirming its readiness to present evidence and assist the investigation.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in March 2023 for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
The issue of abducted children has become one of the White House’s top priorities. U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has taken an active role in advocating for their return, exchanging letters with the Russian president on the subject. President Donald Trump’s administration emphasizes that crimes against Ukrainian children will not go unpunished, and that the United States, together with its allies, will seek justice for every affected child.