In a recent exchange, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the United States Congress could move to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism if the State Department refused to act. Politico reported the remark, citing sources close to Washington.
Pelosi reportedly voiced the message in a phone call with Blinken earlier this week.
As one congressional source explained to reporters, pursuing congressional action would be more challenging than a secretary-level decision, yet it would grant the administration political cover to intensify economic pressure and sharpen anti-Putin rhetoric. The same source noted that there is no legal bar preventing members of Congress from taking such a step.
Listing a country as a state sponsor of terrorism carries strict consequences, including prohibitions on defense exports, tighter controls on dual-use goods, fiscal sanctions, and penalties for third countries that engage in trade with the designated state. The framework is designed to limit interactions with the sponsor and to deter related activities.
Historically, Washington has kept a running list of state sponsors. In December 1979, Syria topped that list, followed by Iran in 1984, North Korea in November 2017, and Cuba in January 2021.
Earlier this spring, Secretary Blinken said U.S. officials were examining the possibility of recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. He acknowledged that Russia has inflicted terror on Ukrainian civilians and noted that legal justifications for such a designation were under review by the Department of State’s legal counsel, who were assessing whether criteria exist to apply this designation in the Ukraine context.
In response, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described Washington’s statements as a propaganda effort. She warned that Moscow would respond to any measures with firm resolve and emphasized that the international community has not yet raised a formal legal challenge to U.S. actions in conflicts elsewhere. She suggested that pushing this issue could provoke counterproductive reactions and recalled that U.S. actions have sparked scrutiny within international forums.
On June 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a video message that he urged the United States to classify Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. He indicated that the relevant resolution had cleared a U.S. Senate committee and that the State Department could reach a legal decision. Zelensky added that such a designation should have broad support from the democratic world and noted his discussions about the matter with participants at the G7 summit in Germany.
Responding to Zelensky’s remarks, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, highlighted ongoing investigations into alleged acts of terrorism and genocide in Donbass, describing a substantial evidence-gathering effort by Russian authorities and allied groups. He framed the effort as a step toward establishing a clear record of abuses against residents in the region.
During the G7 meeting in Germany, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed caution about the move to designate Russia a sponsor of terrorism. He stressed the importance of adhering to legal standards and noted that France does not endorse labeling processes unless they are firmly grounded in law.