'Long overdue': Nancy Pelosi supports labeling Russia a 'state sponsor of terrorism'

21 July 2022

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has verbalized her support of labeling Russia as a "state sponsor of terrorism" as she urged the U.S. State Department to make the title official.

Although the Democratic lawmaker did not specify whether or not Congress would move forward with the action if the Biden administration chooses not to, she did share her opinion during a recent interview, according to Politico. Sharing her opinion on a possible state sponsor designation for the Russian capital, Moscow, The top-ranking Democratic lawmaker said in a brief interview that a state sponsor designation for Moscow is “long overdue."

She added, “I’ve been advocating it for four months, at least.”

Pelosi's latest remarks come just days after she informed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Congress would begin the process of making a formal declaration for the sponsor designation if he and the Biden administration do not. With the current state of the war on Ukraine,

However, Politico notes that such sponsor designations come with a tedious process.

"Authority to designate nations as sponsors of terrorism is typically reserved for the secretary of state, but many in Congress are now pushing for a more forceful pressure campaign aimed at Russia," Politico reported. "Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced a non-binding resolution calling on Blinken to make the designation and gifting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a framed copy of the resolution during a visit to Kyiv."

Other lawmakers have also echoed Pelosi's sentiments due to Russia's war crimes in Ukraine along with their indiscriminate missile attacks. During her press conference on Thursday, July 21, Pelosi also expressed concern about the Russian efforts to debase Ukrainian citizens.

“These are not just the soldiers raping girls; this is an order — an attempt to demoralize the Ukrainian people,” Pelosi said.

On Wednesday, the House Speaker also featured Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zalenska during a Congressional address. Sharing photos of Ukrainian families, Zalenska appealed to lawmakers saying, “Help us to stop this terror against Ukrainains."

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