Houston Daily

U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, spoke at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on State and Foreign Operations regarding the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia.

During his remarks, McCaul thanked Chairman Graham and Ranking Member Schatz for holding the hearing and allowing House members to participate. He stated, "You’re putting a spotlight on this, and I can’t say thank you enough."

McCaul emphasized the need for an "iron-clad security agreement" in ongoing peace talks, referencing shortcomings in the 1994 Budapest Agreement. He said, "Russia needs to understand these children must come home. They must be repatriated with their families." He also mentioned that he had met with Ukraine's ambassador and viewed video evidence compiled by Save Ukraine showing Russian actions against Ukrainian children.

He cited figures indicating that at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia, though experts believe the actual number is much higher. McCaul described reports of indoctrination and militarization of Ukrainian youth in occupied territories, stating that possibly up to one million children are affected. According to him, Russia has allocated $7 billion in its 2026–2028 budget for a national project focused on youth and children, which includes militarized youth organizations.

McCaul relayed information from Ukraine’s ambassador that more than 43,000 children have enrolled in Russia’s paramilitary youth program and that textbooks in occupied areas promote false narratives about NATO and Western countries. He warned that these efforts aim to turn future generations against Ukraine and its allies: "All this is part of Russia’s effort to turn future generations against Ukraine, the United States, and Europe because... they are preparing for a large-scale war against NATO."

He described how some parents have been threatened into surrendering their children, who are then sent to Russia where they lose their identities and are subjected to propaganda or even torture. Referring to documentary evidence from "Children in the Fire," McCaul recounted instances of severe abuse: "They show a child taken in a prison where adults use electrodes to shock them under their fingernails and genitals."

McCaul stressed the moral imperative of addressing these actions: "To me, it’s good versus evil, and this is evil in its purest form." He added that any peace plan must include repatriation of abducted children as well as robust security guarantees.

He expressed concern over current negotiations: "Unfortunately, the reporting I’m seeing out of Moscow shows Ukraine making concessions while Putin has made none." McCaul called for accountability for those responsible for abuses against Ukrainian children.

He concluded by framing Russia's strategy as both a national security threat and a moral issue: "Russia’s attempt to re-engineer an entire generation is a battle plan... This is a national security imperative — and beyond that, it’s a moral imperative."

Michael McCaul has represented Texas's 10th Congressional District since 2005. In recent elections he has consistently won re-election; most recently in 2024 he defeated Theresa Boisseau with approximately 63.6% of the vote.