IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 146 

Expressing strong support for the people of Moldova and for the Moldovan 

Government in their demonstrated commitment to advancing democracy, 

strengthening civil society, and European integration in the face of Russia’s illegal and full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 21, 2023 

Mr. KEATING (for himself, Mr. LAWLER, and Ms. ROSS) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing strong support for the people of Moldova and 

for the Moldovan Government in their demonstrated commitment to advancing democracy, strengthening civil society, and European integration in the face of Russia’s 

illegal and full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Whereas, over 30 years ago, the Republic of Moldova 

achieved independence and has since demonstrated a 

strong commitment to advancing democracy, strengthening civil society, furthering accession to the European 

Union, and deepening cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through the Partnership for 

Peace Program; 

Whereas the United States has encouraged and continues to 

support the Republic of Moldova’s independence, sovVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:52 Feb 21, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR146.IH HR146

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•HRES 146 IH 

ereignty, territorial integrity, and movement toward democracy; 

Whereas the United States Agency for International Development and United States Government assistance programs 

have supported the Republic of Moldova’s democratic aspirations and economic growth since 1992; 

Whereas a joint observation mission from the Organization 

for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office 

of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), 

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and 

European Parliament (EP) determined the Moldovan 

parliamentary elections held on July 11, 2021, were 

‘‘competitive and well run’’ and offered suggestions for 

further improvements; 

Whereas the Party of Action and Solidarity, led by Maia 

Sandu, has pledged and begun to implement an 

anticorruption campaign that includes reforms to the judicial system, campaign finance, justice, and recovery of 

assets misappropriated by Moldovan officials, and the 

simplification of the regulatory framework for business; 

Whereas, on June 23, 2022, the Republic of Moldova received 

European Union (EU) candidate status, together with 

Ukraine, and has since worked toward enacting the necessary structural reforms; 

Whereas United States National Security Strategy adopted in 

October 2022 declares support for the European aspirations of Moldova and its commitment to important institutional reforms; 


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•HRES 146 IH 

Whereas the United States supports the promotion of local 

governance, rule of law, and combating disinformation in 

Moldova; 

Whereas Russia’s brutal, illegal, and full-scale invasion of 

Ukraine has directly threatened the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova by destabilizing energy security and the economy in the country; 

Whereas more than 8,000,000 refugees have fled Ukraine 

and, as of February 2023, Moldova has processed over 

760,000 cross-border movements from Ukraine as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine with more 

than 100,000 registering as refugees in Moldova; 

Whereas Moldovans have valiantly opened their homes and 

provided resources to Ukrainian refugees who have fled 

as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion; 

Whereas the Russian Government is engaged in a coordinated 

disinformation campaign to destabilize the current government and support pro-Russian candidates, political 

parties, and other pro-Russian elements; 

Whereas access to energy resources is vital for the success of 

the Moldovan economy and for the prosperity of the 

Moldovan people; 

Whereas Russia has weaponized their energy resources with 

regards to Moldova repeatedly cutting natural gas supplies in order to create an energy crisis in the country; 

Whereas Russian military forces and equipment have remained in the Transnistrian region of Moldova since 

Moldova declared independence in 1991; 

Whereas Russian military forces in the Transnistrian region 

of Moldova represent a direct threat to Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; 


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•HRES 146 IH 

Whereas it is the longstanding policy of the United States to 

not recognize territorial changes that are the result of illegal uses of force; 

Whereas the United States condemns the illegal presence of 

Russian military forces in the Transnistrian region of 

Moldova; 

Whereas, in February 2023, reports indicate a Russian missile fired at Ukraine crossed over Moldovan sovereign territory, which Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu 

called ‘‘the unacceptable violation of our airspace’’; 

Whereas Moldovan Foreign Ministry spokesman called on 

Russia ‘‘to stop the military aggression against [Ukraine] 

which is causing numerous loss of human lives and material destruction’’; 

Whereas Russia continues to threaten Moldova’s sovereignty 

and territorial integrity through its naval presence in the 

Black Sea and Russian-occupied Crimea, and through repeated firing of rockets over sovereign Moldovan airspace 

as well as continued occupation of the Transnistrian region of Moldova; 

Whereas Russia’s military activities in the region pose a direct threat to Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as to neighboring North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland; 

Whereas the United States has contributed upward of 

$320,000,000 in emergency support to Moldova since 

February 24, 2022, and the European Union has recently pledged 250,000,000 Euros to help Moldova overcome the economic, energy, security, and humanitarian 

impacts of the Kremlin’s war of aggression in Ukraine; 


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•HRES 146 IH 

Whereas most recently Moldovan democracy is actively 

threatened by Russian malign influence, including the recent uncovering of a plot by Russian malign forces to use 

agents provocateurs to attack government buildings 

under the guise of public protests in an effort to destabilize Moldova; 

Whereas Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Russia’s goal 

was to change ‘‘the legitimate power from Chisinau to an 

illegitimate one’’; 

Whereas antigovernment demonstrations last year were organized by the pro-Russian Shor Party which President 

Sandu characterized as ‘‘attempts to undermine the 

State’’; 

Whereas, in October 2022, the United States enacted economic sanctions on malign, Russian-backed actors in 

Moldova including Ilan Shor, Vladimir Plahotniuc, and 7 

other individuals, as well as 12 entities who are ‘‘widely 

recognized for capturing and corrupting Moldova’s political and economic institutions and those acting as instruments of Russia’s global influence campaign’’; and 

Whereas in the face of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, promotion of liberal, democratic values is vital for the preservation, facilitation, and success of democracy in 

Moldova: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms the United States commitment to 

3 the Republic of Moldova in the face of Russian ma4 lign influence and military aggression; 

5 (2) lauds the strengthening of civil society, de6 mocracy, and democratic institutions in Moldova and 


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•HRES 146 IH 

1 encourages the people of Moldova and elected rep2 resentatives to continue to enhance their democracy, 

3 strengthen the rule of law, and fight corruption; 

4 (3) welcomes the strong mandate given to 

5 proreform forces by the Moldovan people during the 

6 July 2021 Parliamentary elections and the Novem7 ber 2020 Presidential election; 

8 (4) expresses strong support for Moldova’s goal 

9 of integration with the Western, democratic commu10 nity; 

11 (5) supports the Moldovan people’s aspirations 

12 for membership in the European Union and devel13 oping stronger connections to the United States 

14 transatlantic partners; 

15 (6) urges the European Union to continue to 

16 promote Moldova’s accession processes to the Euro17 pean Union to ensure Moldova’s economic and na18 tional security; 

19 (7) supports the Moldovan people and Govern20 ment in their desire to rid the country of corruption 

21 and oligarchic control; 

22 (8) calls on the Biden administration to work 

23 with our transatlantic allies and review further ac24 tions against any individuals or groups working to 

25 undermine democracy in Moldova; 


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•HRES 146 IH 

1 (9) condemns in the strongest possible terms 

2 Russian malign activities in Moldova; 

3 (10) supports initiatives and productive co4 operation within the four working groups under the 

5 United States-Moldova Strategic Dialogue as a mean 

6 to enhance ties between the two countries; 

7 (11) finds that it is in the interest of the 

8 United States and its allies to support democratic 

9 governance, energy security, and economic growth in 

10 Moldova for the advancement of European and glob11 al security and prosperity; 

12 (12) urges elected officials and policymakers in 

13 Moldova to build upon the practices of free and fair 

14 elections to further bolster legitimate and equitable 

15 election processes in the nation; 

16 (13) calls for all personnel and equipment be17 longing to Russian security or Armed Forces to be 

18 withdrawn from the sovereign territory of Moldova; 

19 and 

20 (14) continues to support an Organization for 

21 Security and Co-operation in Europe-led negotiation 

22 process a special status for the Transnistrian region 

23 within a territorially whole and sovereign Moldova 

24 within the internationally recognized borders. 

Æ 


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