[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 558 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 558
Expressing the sense of the Senate on when the economic relationship
between the United States and the Russian Federation should be
considered to return to the level of that relationship before the
invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that began on February
24, 2022, and on the actions that should be taken at that time.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 28, 2022
Mr. Cassidy submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate on when the economic relationship
between the United States and the Russian Federation should be
considered to return to the level of that relationship before the
invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that began on February
24, 2022, and on the actions that should be taken at that time.
Whereas the United States has a responsibility to uphold the values of freedom,
democracy, and human rights across the globe;
Whereas there are several universal declarations promoting human rights, laws of
war, and upholding the dignity of individuals;
Whereas the preamble to the United Nations Charter states that member countries
``reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights [and] in the dignity and
worth of the human person'';
Whereas the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states,
``Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with
the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and
observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms'';
Whereas the Russian Federation, as the former Union of Soviet Socialists
Republics, joined as an original member of the United Nations on October
24, 1945, and as such has a duty to abide by the conditions of the
United Nations Charter;
Whereas President Vladimir Putin, members of the Security Council of the Russian
Federation, and President Putin's military commanders have severely
undermined the international rule of law through their various actions;
Whereas President Vladimir Putin violated the sovereignty of Ukraine and used
military force to seize control and unlawfully occupy Crimea and eastern
Ukraine, indiscriminately targeting and killing thousands of innocent
civilians since 2014;
Whereas rebel forces supported by the Russian Federation were deemed responsible
for a missile attack on January 24, 2015, in Mariupol, Ukraine, that
indiscriminately targeted civilians, resulting in the death of at least
30 people and injuring many more;
Whereas intelligence assessments have concluded Vladimir Putin and his regime
have destroyed the rule of law in the Russian Federation and engaged in
countless crimes against humanity, including ordering the poisoning of
Alexi Navalny, the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, and the false
imprisonment and torture ultimately leading to the death of Sergei
Magnitsky;
Whereas Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, under the leadership of
President Vladimir Putin and the Security Council of the Russian
Federation, initiated an unprovoked war against Ukraine based on false
security claims and threats in February 2022;
Whereas President Vladimir Putin has allegedly committed war crimes in his
reckless quest to decimate Ukraine and the people of Ukraine, including
civilians, children, and women;
Whereas the people of the Russian Federation are suffering economic hardship
from global sanctions as a direct result of President Vladimir Putin's
erratic, illogical, and irrational actions;
Whereas the United States Government seeks the most productive relationship
possible with the people of the Russian Federation for the sake of their
own liberty and prosperity; and
Whereas the United States Government should use its voice, vote, and influence
to pursue war crimes allegations against Vladimir Putin and his military
commanders in international institutions of which it is a member and
encourage other allies and partners to do the same: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) the economic relationship between the United States and
the Russian Federation should be considered to return to the
level of that relationship before the invasion of Ukraine by
the Russian Federation that began on February 24, 2022, only
when--
(A) the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and
proxies of such forces withdraw from all territory of
Ukraine such forces or proxies have occupied since
February 24, 2022, and that withdrawal is verified by a
supervision mission of the United Nations in Ukraine;
(B) the Government of the Russian Federation has
ceased engaging in cyberattacks and disseminating anti-
Ukraine, pro-Russian Federation propaganda and has
committed to not engaging in such attacks or
disseminating such propaganda in the future; and
(C) a free and fair election is held in the Russian
Federation, as determined by the Secretary of State;
(2) as soon as possible after the date of agreement to this
resolution--
(A) the President should direct the United States
Representative to the United Nations to use the voice,
vote, and influence of the United States to immediately
promote the establishment of an international justice
mechanism for alleged war crimes and other alleged
crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and to
prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes committed
during the period of conflict in Ukraine;
(B) in the event that the United Nations is unable
or unwilling to establish a mechanism described in
subparagraph (A), the President should convoke and
convene the world's democracies for the purposes of
establishing a regional or international justice
mechanism for crimes described in that subparagraph;
(C) in working with other countries to establish
such a regional or international justice mechanism, the
United States should assist all partners in that effort
to develop judicial procedures that enable the fair and
open prosecution of persons accused of perpetrating
such crimes;
(D) the United States should encourage, support,
and collect any and all information that can be
supplied to a justice mechanism described in
subparagraph (A) or (B) for use as evidence to support
the indictment and trial of any persons accused of
crimes described in subparagraph (A), including the
crime of aggression in Ukraine, as an immediate
priority; and
(E) the United States should urge all other
interested countries to apprehend and deliver into the
custody of a justice mechanism described in
subparagraph (A) or (B) persons indicted for crimes
described in subparagraph (A) and urge all interested
countries to provide any and all data and information
pertaining to such crimes to that mechanism; and
(3) when the economic relationship between the United
States and the Russian Federation returns to the level of that
relationship before the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian
Federation, as described in paragraph (1)--
(A) the President should organize and lead a
presidential summit on Eastern European peace and
security with the head of the successor Government of
the Russian Federation, which should include topics
such as arms control and existing international fora
such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization,
the European Union, the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe, the Minsk Group, and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization;
(B) the Secretary of State should--
(i) begin a formal, consultative process
with the United Nations Secretary General and
all member countries of the United Nations to
reimagine the United Nations Security Council;
and
(ii) initiate talks with all Western allies
regarding the reconstruction of Ukraine and
humanitarian support to those affected by the
war waged by President Vladimir Putin;
(C) the Senate should establish a special,
interdisciplinary commission to make recommendations
for the reimagination of a post-war, long-term
collective security strategy for Europe, which includes
consideration of the security concerns of Ukraine, the
Russian Federation, and other non-treaty partners; and
(D) the United States Government should call on the
successor Government of the Russian Federation to
release all political prisoners held under the
authority of the Russian Federation.
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