Several weeks into the war, President Biden answered a journalist’s question by branding putin a war criminal. But just recently, the President responded to an inquiry about designating russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism with a simple one-word answer: NO.
Currently, the United States government designates four countries State Sponsors of Terrorism: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. With the indiscriminate bombings that are killing innocent men, women, and children in Ukraine, russia is committing terrorist acts and deserves to be designated as such.
The Ukrainian National Information Service (the Washington, DC–based bureau of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America – UCCA) urges you to contact the U.S. Department of State to advocate for the designation of russia as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America joins this call. Your advocacy will help pressure the U.S. to impose more significant sanctions and other measures against russia.
What has already been done?
- The Congressional Ukraine Caucus sent a letter to Secretary Blinken in March 2022.
- U.S. congressional delegations to Ukraine have indicated their full support for designating russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
- The U.S. Senate passed S.Res.623 on July 27 calling for the designation.
- A similar bill and resolution have been introduced in the House of Representatives and are awaiting passage.
- An op-ed by former U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (Colorado) and UCCA President Andrew Futey was published by the prestigious Atlantic Council think tank.
What can you do?
Contact the U.S. Department of State!
Below is a sample text that you can use to contact the State Department to demand that the U.S. designate russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) at: [email protected].
Sample text:
Dear Secretary Blinken:
Since February 2022, Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine has caused immeasurable suffering and the loss of tens of thousands of lives. The Kremlin’s indiscriminate bombing of Ukraine’s medical facilities, residential dwellings, and shelters cannot be described in any other way than as terrorist acts.
Images from Ukraine’s liberated cities, towns, and villages show immeasurable devastation, not to mention the terror inflicted by the occupying Russian forces. In all those instances, Russia is responsible for the brutal killing of innocent civilians. The Russian government’s use of violence and intimidation in Ukraine, and of nuclear blackmail in southeast Ukraine, to achieve its political purposes can only be defined as international terrorism.
As an informed and concerned American citizen, I appeal to you to designate Russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Russia must suffer the consequences of its actions.
