ATF Proposed Rule Could Reopen Firearm Imports From Several Former Soviet Countries

Summary

The ATF has proposed a new rule, published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2026, to remove outdated import barriers on firearms and ammunition from several former Soviet countries including Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. This change would align ATF's import regulations with the State Department's current foreign policy list, allowing for case-by-case review of import applications, though Russia would remain restricted.