Democrats urge funding restoration for tracking Ukrainian children

Democratic lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to restart funding for a program that aims to find Ukrainian children who have been abducted by Russia. They are particularly concerned that important evidence of Russian war crimes could have been deleted. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is facing scrutiny after a letter from Rep. Greg Landsman and others suggested that data shared with the State Department may have been erased. They argue that this could have serious consequences for efforts to recover the kidnapped children. The lawmakers stress that the evidence is crucial for potential war crimes investigations. The abandoned program, run by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, tracked the forced relocation of Ukrainian children to Russia. It was seen as a vital resource, with information on thousands of abducted children. Reports indicate that between 20,000 and 30,000 children have been taken. The database included records for around 6,000 children, with detailed dossiers for 314 of them. A source familiar with the situation claimed that the decision to cut funding led to the loss of $26 million worth of evidence. The Democrats called for the program to be restored, highlighting the importance of rescuing these children without sending weapons or money to Ukraine. In response to this news, prominent voices have spoken out. Rep. Landsman stated on social media that efforts must be made to bring the stolen children back. The House Foreign Affairs Committee also criticized the administration for actions that appear to support Russian war crimes. Yale University acknowledged the funding cuts but emphasized the importance of the researchers' work. It remains unclear if the Trump administration will restore funding for the program and its critical activities.