Russia accuses US of forcing citizenship on diplomats' children
Synopsis
Russia's Foreign Ministry has accused the US State Department of forcibly registering children of Russian diplomatic staff born on American soil as US citizens — a practice Moscow calls illegal, coercive, and a deliberate attempt to undermine both Trump's immigration policies and the fragile Russia-US diplomatic reset.
Key Takeaways
Russia accused the US State Department of unlawfully granting American citizenship to children of Russian diplomats born in the United States .
Maria Zakharova wrote in Vedomosti that the practice invokes "birthright citizenship" in violation of international and national law.
Zakharova attributed the move to the "deep state" acting against President Donald Trump's anti-immigration policies.
Russia says it does not recognise the imposition of US citizenship on children of its diplomatic, administrative, technical, and consular staff.
Moscow has said it will demand the US confirm that such newborns are not under US jurisdiction.
Russia on Monday accused the US State Department of unlawfully granting American citizenship to children of Russian diplomats born in the United States, a move Moscow says violates international norms and established bilateral diplomatic practice.
What Russia Is Alleging
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote in a column for Vedomosti, a Russian business daily, that US authorities were invoking
Point of View
However, is real — international conventions do limit birthright citizenship for children of accredited diplomats, and if the State Department is indeed overriding those limits, it raises legitimate procedural concerns that go beyond the current geopolitical theatre.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Russia accusing the US State Department of doing?
Russia accuses the US State Department of automatically registering children of Russian diplomatic staff born on American soil as US citizens under 'birthright citizenship' provisions, a practice Moscow says violates international law and the Vienna Convention on consular immunity.
Who made the accusation on behalf of Russia?
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made the accusation in a column published in Vedomosti, a Russian business daily, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Does US law allow birthright citizenship for children of diplomats?
According to Zakharova, US legislation explicitly excludes children of accredited diplomats from obtaining citizenship through birthright provisions. She argued the State Department is applying the rule in contradiction of both US law and international diplomatic norms.
How does Russia plan to respond?
Russia has stated it does not recognise the imposition of US citizenship on children born to its diplomatic, administrative, technical, and consular staff in the United States, and will demand that Washington confirm such newborns are not subject to US jurisdiction.
Why does Zakharova say this is happening?
Zakharova argued the move is driven by the US 'deep state' seeking to pressure Russian diplomats, undermine President Donald Trump's anti-immigration policies, and obstruct the ongoing process of reducing friction in Russia-US relations.
