A bill designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced a bill, H.R. 8696, which would officially designate the aggressor country as a state sponsor of terrorism. The text of the bill is currently undergoing the registration process and has not yet been made public. 

This was reported by Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the U.S., Stefanyishyna, citing the Congress website.

The bill was authored by representatives of both major parties: Democrats Lew and Cohen, as well as Republican Wilson. Adding Russia to the relevant list would impose strict restrictions on foreign aid, the export of dual-use goods, and financial transactions. Previously, the Ukrainian side has repeatedly emphasized the importance of such a step to completely cut off funding channels for the Russian military machine.

The bill’s further progress will depend on the conclusions of the relevant House committees and the results of votes in both chambers of Congress. If the bill is passed, the U.S. will gain additional legal mechanisms to impose sanctions on third countries that continue to cooperate with Moscow. The Embassy of Ukraine continues to actively coordinate with American partners to ensure the necessary support for this legislative initiative.

In October 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved three legislative initiatives targeting Russia over its war against Ukraine. Among them is a proposal to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.