[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 199 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 199
Expressing support and appreciation for the efforts of the Republic of
Romania and the Republic of Moldova to defend democracy and combat
malign Russian interference.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 1, 2025
Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Tillis) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support and appreciation for the efforts of the Republic of
Romania and the Republic of Moldova to defend democracy and combat
malign Russian interference.
Whereas the Republic of Romania and the Republic of Moldova are committed to
supporting democracy, the rule of law, and the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of countries in eastern Europe;
Whereas, in 2024, the Government of the Russian Federation attempted to
undermine the democratic systems, economic prosperity, and energy
security of Romania and Moldova as part of a wider campaign to expand
its malign influence and promote broader instability across Europe and
the world;
Whereas, despite growing pressure from Russian leaders, the people and
institutions of Romania and Moldova remain committed to supporting
democratic values and combating the effects of malign Russian pressure
campaigns in eastern Europe;
Whereas Romania--
(1) is a crucial leader of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(referred to in this preamble as ``NATO''), has made significant
investments in military infrastructure and capabilities in order to protect
NATO's eastern flank, and spent 2.2 percent of its gross domestic product
on defense spending during 2024, which surpasses the requirement set forth
in the Wales Summit Declaration of 2014;
(2) is a vital member of the European Union that has led efforts to
support the entry of other eastern European countries into NATO, including
Moldova;
(3) has the energy resources to help counter Russia's weaponization of
energy supplies, including natural gas, against Europe; and
(4) has provided critical support to Ukraine since Russia's unprovoked,
full-scale war of aggression began on February 24, 2022, including by
providing energy, economic, humanitarian, and military assistance to
Ukraine and facilitating the transit of Ukrainian grain across the Black
Sea;
Whereas Romania's commitment to robust transatlantic relations and leadership
within NATO have made it a target for Russian interference, including
during Romania's presidential election on November 24, 2024, which was
targeted by a digital campaign backed by a state actor intended to
influence the results of the election;
Whereas this digital campaign attempted to manipulate the election in favor of
candidates who supported Russian President Vladimir Putin, were critical
of NATO, and were critical of Romanian assistance to Ukraine;
Whereas Romania has scheduled a new presidential election to take place in May
2025;
Whereas Moldova--
(1) has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to strengthening its
democracy and deepening its European integration;
(2) applied for European Union membership in March 2022, was granted
candidate status in June 2022, and began accession negotiations in June
2024;
(3) codified its commitment to joining the European Union in October
2024 through a Constitutional Referendum;
(4) has made tremendous strides in its efforts to join the European
Union by 2035, including ongoing efforts to ensure its laws, institutions,
and regulations comply with European Union accession standards and
regulations; and
(5) has provided substantial humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian
people following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24,
2022;
Whereas Moldova's democratic and pro-European Union aspirations have made it a
target for Russian interference, including--
(1) Russia's weaponization of energy supplies against Moldova by
halting the flow of natural gas to Transnistria, where Moldova's main
electricity power plant is located, causing serious consequences for
Moldovans, including blackouts and a dramatic increase in the cost of
energy in the winter months of 2025; and
(2) Russia's efforts to influence Moldova's 2024 elections, including
its presidential election and European Union constitutional referendum, in
favor of pro-Russia, anti-European Union candidates and platforms,
including through--
G (A) fake bomb threats against polling stations abroad and
preparations to instigate violent demonstrations;
G (B) explicit vote-buying campaigns; and
G (C) cyber operations against government and private-sector
targets, including Moldova's Central Electoral Commission;
Whereas Moldova's parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place after the
current parliament's term ends in July 2025; and
Whereas international efforts to support Moldova's democracy and address the
impacts of Russia's weaponization of natural gas must increase in order
to counter Russian interference ahead of the 2025 parliamentary
elections: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) expresses robust support and appreciation for the
efforts of the Governments of Romania and of Moldova and their
people as they work to strengthen state sovereignty and
democracy in eastern Europe, despite tremendous pressure from
Russia;
(2) applauds the partnership between Romania and Moldova in
the energy sector as a model of reducing reliance on the use of
Russian energy exports;
(3) expresses support for Romania's critical role within
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union;
(4) expresses support for Moldova's aspirations to join the
European Union;
(5) condemns Russian efforts to pressure, coerce, or
otherwise manipulate democratic sovereign states, including
Romania and Moldova;
(6) urges the international community, including the
European Union, to increase their support for Romania and
Moldova's democracies in advance of their respective elections
in 2025, including by--
(A) releasing the full European Commission report
detailing the extent of Russian interference in the
2024 Romanian presidential election, including through
TikTok; and
(B) administering appropriate disciplinary action
and best practices for combating such interference in
future elections; and
(7) urges the United States Government--
(A) to strengthen bilateral and multilateral
engagements with Romania and Moldova in support of
democracy and state sovereignty in eastern Europe; and
(B) to strengthen support for Romanian and Moldovan
security and election integrity in advance of
presidential elections and parliamentary elections set
to be held in May and September, respectively.
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