Much to the dismay of many American families, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed that he will sign into law a ban on US adoption of Russian children, a bill which the Parliament has already approved. “I intend to sign the law,” Putin said, “as well as a presidential decree changing the procedure of helping orphaned children, children left without parental care, and especially children who are in a disadvantageous situation due to their health problems.” The legislation would also ban U.S.-funded civic groups in the country. Officials have stated that once the bill is signed into law it would not only ban new adoptions but halt those currently in progress.
Many are calling this an effort by Putin to retaliate against the US politically. The ban comes just as the US is in the midst of attempting to push Russia to do more to end the blood-soaked rule of Bashar Assad in Syria. “This is the perfect time to push back hard against the United States,” said Tom Graham, a White House Russia specialist under former President George Bush. “This is Putin’s reset, aimed at restoring the proper relationship between the U.S. and Russia, which does not necessarily mean a constructive relationship—only one in which Russia’s independence, identity and power are respected.”
For many, the impact is deeply personal. “I’m a little numb,” said Maria Drewinsky, a massage therapist from Sea Cliff, N.Y., who was in the final stages of adopting a 5-year-old boy named Alyosha. “We have clothes and a bedroom all set up for him, and we talk about him all the time as our son.”
“Since 1992 American families have welcomed more than 60,000 Russian children into their homes, and it is misguided to link the fate of children to unrelated political considerations,” State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said.
