[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 519 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 519
Supporting an independent and democratic Ukraine against any further
Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 17, 2022
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Cornyn, Mr.
Menendez, Mr. Risch, Mr. Coons, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Cramer,
Mr. Carper, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Graham, Mr. Bennet, Mrs.
Capito, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Burr, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Romney, Mrs. Murray,
Mr. Hoeven, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Brown, Mr.
Scott of Florida, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Hirono, Mr.
Barrasso, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Padilla,
Mr. Moran, Mr. King, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Peters,
Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Heinrich) submitted
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting an independent and democratic Ukraine against any further
Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.
Whereas, on January 21, 1990, more than 300,000 Ukrainians called for unity and
independence from the Soviet Union by forming a human chain between the
cities of Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk;
Whereas, on August 24, 1991, the elected Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declared the
independence of Ukraine from the Soviet Union with an overwhelming
majority vote;
Whereas, on December 1, 1991, more than 90 percent of Ukrainian citizens voted
in a national referendum in support of independence, with majorities in
every region;
Whereas, on February 8, 1994, Ukraine was the first member state of the
Commonwealth of Independent States to join the Partnership for Peace
program of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and has since
deepened its relationship with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
recognized as an Enhanced Opportunities Partner;
Whereas, on December 5, 1994, in an effort to solidify security commitments to
Ukraine in return for its nuclear disarmament, the United States, the
Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom signed the Budapest
Memorandum on Security Assurances, whereby each country pledged to
respect the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine's borders while
refraining from the threat or use of force against Ukraine;
Whereas, on November 22, 2004, Ukrainians peacefully took to the streets in
protest of a fraudulent presidential election, beginning the Orange
Revolution and resulting in new elections under free and fair
conditions;
Whereas, on November 21, 2013, the Euromaidan protests began in favor of signing
the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement, resulting in the
Revolution of Dignity and the removal of President Viktor Yanukovych by
the Verkhovna Rada;
Whereas, on February 20, 2014, the Russian Federation invaded the independent
state of Ukraine, which continues to confront malign Russian activity,
including the ongoing attempted annexation of Crimea, conflict in the
Donbas region, and threats to freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and
the Sea of Azov;
Whereas, on February 12, 2015, a new package of measures to end the conflict in
Ukraine, known as ``Minsk II'', was signed, provisions of which have
still not yet been fully implemented;
Whereas at least 14,000 Ukrainians have been killed defending their homeland and
millions more displaced since the conflict with Russia began;
Whereas, on September 1, 2017, the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement
came into effect;
Whereas, in March and November 2021, the Russian Federation deployed a massive
troop and weapons buildup on the border with Ukraine;
Whereas, on January 28, 2022, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated,
``Our aim is . . .to convey a clear message to Russia . . . if they use
military force against Ukraine it will have severe consequences. NATO
allies are ready to impose heavy economic sanctions--political,
financial sanctions.'';
Whereas, on February 12, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden warned Russian
President Vladimir Putin that the West ``will respond decisively and
impose swift and severe costs'' if Russia further invades Ukraine; and
Whereas, on December 12, 2021, at a meeting in Liverpool, delegates of the Group
of Seven (G7) released a joint statement saying, ``Russia should be in
no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have
massive consequences and severe cost in response. . .We reaffirm our
unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial
integrity, as well as the right of any sovereign state to determine its
own future.'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE SENATE.
The Senate--
(1) commends the courage, resolve, and restraint shown by
the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of sovereignty and
democracy, and pays tribute to the many men and women who gave
their lives in pursuit of a free and democratic Ukraine;
(2) reaffirms unwavering United States support for a
secure, democratic, and independent Ukraine, free to choose its
own leaders and future;
(3) condemns the illegal military invasion of Ukraine, the
attempted annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in
2014, and the violence fomented by Russian proxies in eastern
Ukraine, an active conflict that continues in 2022;
(4) reaffirms unwavering United States commitment to
support the continuing efforts of the Government of Ukraine to
restore its territorial integrity by providing political,
diplomatic, and military support, including additional lethal
and non-lethal security assistance to strengthen the defense
capabilities of Ukraine;
(5) denounces the Russian military buildup of over 150,000
troops on Ukraine's border, including in Belarus, threatening
the security of bordering NATO allies as provocative and
reckless, contrary to established international norms;
(6) condemns the Russian Federation's continued disregard
of international maritime law by partially blocking parts of
the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, which hamper freedom of
navigation exercises and significantly impact Ukraine's
economy;
(7) encourages the President that, should any further
invasion or other malign activity to undermine the sovereignty
of Ukraine occur by Russia, the United States Government should
use the tools at its disposal to impose significant costs on
the Russian Federation to restore peace in Europe; and
(8) encourages unity among NATO allies and the broader
transatlantic community to convey solidarity in response to
Russia's unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine.
SEC. 2. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this resolution may be construed as--
(1) a declaration of war or an authorization for the use of
military force against the Russian Federation; or
(2) authorization for the introduction of the United States
Armed Forces into Ukraine.
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