State Sponsor of Terrorism

Senate Considers Terrorism Designation for Russia Over Kidnapped Ukrainian Children

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a bipartisan bill threatening to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. The bill, spearheaded by Senator Lindsey Graham, demands the return of over 19,000 Ukrainian children abducted from occupied territories. If Russia fails to comply and repatriate the children, the US Secretary of State will be legally required to place Russia on the state sponsors of terrorism list. This designation would trigger significant economic and diplomatic repercussions for Moscow.

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Biden Lifts Cuba Terrorism Designation, Frees Prisoners in Last-Minute Deal

President Biden notified Congress of his intention to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a decision facilitated by the Catholic Church and intended to secure the release of numerous political prisoners. This action, coupled with eased economic pressure on Cuba, reverses aspects of the Trump administration’s stricter policies. The Biden administration cited a lack of credible evidence of Cuban support for international terrorism in recent months. However, the incoming Trump administration may overturn this decision given its previously stated positions on Cuba and the expected appointments of Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio and Mauricio Claver-Carone.

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