A bipartisan pair of influential senators is set to introduce a resolution on Wednesday urging the State Department to deepen cooperation with Russia's pro-democracy movement, both within the country and among exiles, according to a draft obtained by The Hill.
The non-binding measure, sponsored by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), coincides with the second Washington Dialogue, a gathering of Russian dissidents in the U.S. capital, organized by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Free Russia Foundation.
The resolution condemns President Vladimir Putin's domestic repression and his war in Ukraine, as well as Russia's detention of Americans, including Stephen Hubbard, a U.S. citizen captured by Russian forces after the 2022 invasion. Hubbard, who denies being a mercenary, is designated as wrongfully detained by Washington.
Wicker highlighted the resolution as a tribute to slain opposition figures, including Boris Nemtsov, assassinated in 2015, and Alexei Navalny, who died in 2024 under circumstances European governments blame on the Kremlin. “My colleague Senator Shaheen and I introduce this resolution for Nemtsov, for Navalny, and for the courageous Russians who carry their torch today,” Wicker said in a statement. “Putin casts a repressive shadow over Russia, but these heroes work toward a bright future they cannot yet see. The U.S. Senate honors their efforts and looks forward to the day when Russia is led by and for its people.”
Shaheen echoed that sentiment, saying the resolution seeks to “champion those who fight for democracy within Russia and hold the Russian government accountable for the crimes it has committed against its own people.” She argued that Putin's war on Ukraine was driven by fear that Russians would see Ukraine's democratic progress and demand similar change at home.
The measure affirms that supporting democratic actors in Russia is in the U.S. national interest, commends the work of Russian civil society and independent media in exposing Kremlin abuses, and calls for accountability. It arrives ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections set for September 18-20, the first since the full-scale invasion began. Putin's United Russia party is expected to dominate, though attention will focus on whether it secures a super-majority to amend the constitution without coalition partners.
Russia's Supreme Court has barred the liberal Yabloko party, the only registered party opposing the war, from the ballot, and other opposition figures have been banned from running. Putin, in power since 2000, has tightened his grip through relentless crackdowns on dissent, strict censorship, and restrictions on independent media and internet access.
Human rights monitors estimate there are around 1,700 political prisoners in Russian jails, and nearly one million Russians have fled the country since February 2022. The resolution comes as U.S. officials have recently engaged with Russian counterparts, but this measure signals congressional intent to keep pressure on the Kremlin and support those inside Russia pushing for democratic change. The move also aligns with broader bipartisan efforts, including recent Russian missile strikes on Kyiv that have underscored the ongoing threat.
Shaheen's involvement is notable as she prepares to leave the Senate, and her chief of staff is already winding down operations. The resolution's introduction also dovetails with the New Hampshire House primary, where her daughter is running, but the senator's focus remains on foreign policy.
As the international community watches Russia's upcoming elections, this resolution serves as a symbolic but clear statement of U.S. solidarity with those challenging Putin's authoritarian rule.
