A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pushing to brand Russia and Belarus as state sponsors of terrorism unless they return thousands of abducted Ukrainian children.

The legislation, unveiled on Capitol Hill, would place Moscow in the same category as Iran, Syria, North Korea and Cuba the "worst of the worst" list of governments accused of supporting terrorism.

The move comes against the backdrop of one of the darkest chapters of the war between Russia and Ukraine: the mass kidnapping of children. Ukrainian officials and international watchdogs say Russia has abducted nearly 20,000 children, taking some from orphanages in occupied territory and sending others into Russia for adoption or indoctrination.

Scripps News was the first to report on the stolen babies of Kherson in 2022 and has tracked the crisis ever since.

SCRIPPS NEWS INVESTIGATES | Ukraine's Stolen Orphans

At a press conference announcing the bill, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Russia had "earned the right" to be added to America's official terror list.

"It's hard to get on that list. Well, let me tell you, Russia's earned the right to be on this list," Graham said.

The senators argue the designation is more than symbolic. Under U.S. law, the State Sponsor of Terrorism label automatically locks in bans on U.S. foreign aid, arms sales, dual-use technology exports, and requires Washington to oppose loans in international financial institutions. It would also open the door for certain American victims of Russian-linked terror acts to sue the Kremlin directly in U.S. courts.

Scripps News International Correspondent Jason Bellini asked Graham whether, if this law had already been in place, Russian President Vladimir Putin would have been able to travel to Alaska earlier this summer.

"That's a good question. Probably not," Graham replied. "And let me just say this. I don't care how we end the war as long as we end it justly. The children come home. We've tried the red carpet approach. It ain't working. There's more attacks today than there were before. If you want to vote no, we will make you famous. Thune and Schumer need to bring this bill up soon so we can tell Europe and the rest of the world, follow our lead."

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The White House already maintains sweeping sanctions against Russia, but most are imposed by executive order and could theoretically be rolled back by a future president. The State Sponsor of Terrorism designation would embed new restrictions into law, making them harder to reverse.

With nearly 20,000 children still missing, senators say the legislation is about maximum pressure and about securing what they call a just end to the war.

Poland said on Wednesday that at least 19 Russian drones breached its airspace over the course of seven hours, in what leaders across Europe are calling the most serious violation of NATO territory since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago.

The Polish military described the incident as an "act of aggression" and said the drones were brought down with the help of NATO allies. Dutch F-35s intercepted several of the aircraft, and German Patriot missile batteries in Poland were placed on alert. NATO confirmed it was the first time alliance forces have engaged potential threats inside its own airspace during the war.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING | Russian drones breach NATO airspace

Poland says it shot down Russian drones which entered its airspace for several hours

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Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament that the drones came not only from Russian territory but also from Belarus, where Russian and Belarusian forces are preparing for large-scale military exercises.

Local officials reported drone debris across seven villages in eastern Poland. In one case, a house lost much of its roof when it was struck. No casualties were reported, but Poland temporarily closed parts of its airspace and suspended flights from Warsaw's main airport during the attack.

Russia denied that it had targeted Poland, saying its strikes were aimed at Ukrainian defense industries. Belarus suggested the drones "lost their course" after being jammed, an explanation dismissed by many European leaders.

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NATO consultations were triggered under Article 4 of the alliance treaty a clause allowing members to call urgent discussions but not activating the collective defense provisions of Article 5. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte vowed that the alliance "will defend every inch of NATO territory."

Analysts say Russia's goals may have included testing NATO's air defenses and political response.

The breach also drew a reaction from U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted on Truth Social: "What's with Russia violating Poland's airspace with drones? Here we go!" His administration has yet to outline any immediate policy response, though officials emphasized they are closely monitoring the situation with allies.

China marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a sweeping military parade in Beijing that doubled as a display of newly unveiled weaponry and a pointed warning to the United States.

President Xi Jinping rode down Chang'an Avenue in a black limousine Wednesday, saluting formations of troops as fighter jets and helicopters filled the skies. Twenty-six helicopters traced the number "80" above Tiananmen Square, underscoring the anniversary of Japan's surrender in 1945.

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Behind the pageantry, the parade showcased what analysts say are some of China's most significant military advancements in years.

For the first time, Beijing presented its land-, sea- and air-based strategic forces together a nuclear "triad" that signals global reach and a more secure deterrent. The move suggests China is aiming for parity with the U.S. and Russia in its ability to launch a retaliatory strike from multiple platforms.

The parade also emphasized anti-ship and hypersonic weapons designed to threaten U.S. naval forces in the western Pacific. Faster and more maneuverable than traditional missiles, these systems could complicate American operations near Taiwan by raising the risks for aircraft carriers and other large vessels.

Unmanned systems featured prominently as well. Long-range drones, underwater vehicles and even robotic quadrupeds rolled through the square, paired with new laser and microwave weapons intended to counter swarms of enemy drones at low cost. The emphasis on scale and cost efficiency pointed to Beijing's ambition to fight with volume rather than a handful of high-priced platforms.

China also introduced new military formations for aerospace, cyberspace and information operations a signal that future wars will extend beyond land, sea and air to include space and data networks.

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The event drew Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the reviewing stand, underscoring Beijing's alignment with Moscow and Pyongyang. Leaders from the U.S., Europe, Japan and India were absent.

While parades do not prove battlefield performance, the message was clear: China is closing technological gaps with the United States.

"The bottom line is that China didn't just roll hardware," said one defense analyst. "It rolled out a playbook nuclear deterrence, hypersonics to deny access at sea, and unmanned systems to change the economics of war."

The parade lasted about 90 minutes. Its strategic implications will endure far longer.

While Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Washington, Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv Monday to honor a fallen artist turned soldier.

Davyd Chychkan, one of Ukraines most prominent contemporary painters, was killed last week while defending positions in Zaporizhzhia. He was 39.

At his funeral in Independence Square, mourners held up his canvases in the open air transforming the heart of Kyiv into a gallery of remembrance. The gesture underscored the way Chychkans life and work fused art with resistance.

Born into a family of painters, Chychkan carved out his own reputation with bold, politically charged works that challenged power and embraced anarchist ideals. His death, confirmed by Ukraines Ministry of Culture, adds his name to a growing list of cultural figures killed since Russias full-scale invasion began. PEN Ukraine counts more than 200 writers, curators, and artists lost in the war.

Chychkans funeral was a reminder that the conflicts toll is measured not only in territory and casualties, but also in voices silenced, canvases left unfinished, and cultural heritage erased.

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The contrast could not be sharper: as leaders in Washington debate the contours of a possible peace deal including the question of Ukrainian land in Kyiv, the price of defending that land was being laid to rest, painted in brushstrokes and sealed in blood.

The so-called Alaska summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday lasted for just three hours and did not result in a peace deal for Ukraine.

"We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there," President Trump said during a press address at the summit on Friday.

There's little sign that Putin has abandoned his maximalist goals in Ukraine. President Trump, meanwhile, dropped his demand for cease-fire and is now discussing a broader peace deal that could involve Ukraine giving up territory still under its control in exchange for security guarantees for Ukraine.

Putin, for his part, offered to freeze the existing front lines if Ukraine were to pull back from the Donbas region entirely. This would mean Ukraine would surrender territory that it's still fighting in today.

"That'll be discussed, but I've got to let Ukraine make that decision," President Trump said aboard Air Force One.

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Reaction from Kyiv has been one of alarm. Ukrainian officials fear that Trump will pressure Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into an unfair settlement when the two meet alongside European leaders in Washington on Monday.