Bennet Joins Legislation to Hold Putin Accountable for Religious Persecution in Ukraine

Aug 4, 2026 | Press Releases

Washington, D.C- Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined the Countering Russia's War on Faith Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expose and punish Russia's systematic persecution of religious communities in Ukraine, including territory Russia illegally occupies. Senators John Kennedy (R-La.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) lead the Senate bill, while Congressmen Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) lead the House counterpart.

The legislation requires the Secretaries of State and Defense to jointly report to Congress on Russia's efforts to persecute, suppress, and violate the religious freedoms of faith communities in Ukraine and Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. It also directs the President to impose sanctions on individuals found to have engaged in those abuses.

"Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine is not just about changing borders by force - it's a war on the Ukrainian people and their faith," said Bennet. "His troops have jailed and tortured clergy, bombed churches and synagogues, and forced the faithful to worship in secret. The United States must call out Putin's abuses in Ukraine and hold perpetrators accountable."

Bennet has fought relentlessly to support the Ukrainian people and impose more pressure on Putin to end his war of aggression against Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Bennet led seven colleagues in a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent urging the Trump Administration to crack down on a Russian state-backed cryptocurrency sanctions evasion network funding Russia's war. He also voted to advance major bipartisan legislation he co-sponsors to impose sanctions on Putin's inner circle and his enablers across Russian industry and financial institutions, the Russian shadow fleet, and firms supporting Russia's defense industrial base. Bennet also co-sponsors bipartisan bills to impose sanctions on specific Russian oil ships and entities trading in Russian oil, respectively.

Earlier this year, Bennet wrote an op-ed in EURACTIV urging the United States and like-minded allies to form a coalition to cooperatively and immediately wield Russian sovereign assets on Ukraine's behalf. In December 2025, Bennet led a bipartisan letter to Belgian Ambassador to the U.S. Frédéric Bernard, expressing support for European efforts to leverage Russian sovereign assets to finance a loan for Ukraine. Bennet also co-sponsors bipartisan legislation to repurpose frozen Russian sovereign assets held in the United States to support Ukraine. This would build on the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, which Bennet co-sponsored and which President Joe Biden signed into law in April 2024.

Additionally, Bennet leads legislation in the Senate defense and intelligence bills, both of which have passed their respective committees, to bolster drone and intelligence cooperation with Ukraine.

In addition to Bennet, Kennedy, and Wilson, Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and David McCormick (R-Pa.) co-sponsor this legislation.

The text of the bill is available HERE.

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