III 

Calendar No. 520 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 557 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the strategic importance of 

NATO to the collective security of the transatlantic region and urging 

its member states to work together at the upcoming summit to strengthen the alliance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 27, 2018 

Mr. WICKER (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. TILLIS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. 

RUBIO, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. BOOKER, and Mr. ISAKSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Relations 

JULY 17, 2018 

Reported by Mr. CORKER, with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic] 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the strategic 

importance of NATO to the collective security of the 

transatlantic region and urging its member states to 

work together at the upcoming summit to strengthen 

the alliance. 


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•SRES 557 RS 

Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred to 

in this Resolution as ‘‘NATO’’) will hold its next Summit 

meeting July 11–12, 2018, in Brussels, Belgium; 

Whereas the security of the United States remains inextricably linked to the security of Europe and NATO’s 

founding purpose remains as valid today as it has been 

since NATO was created; 

Whereas our NATO allies have contributed significantly to 

military operations led by the United States around the 

world, and actively contribute to current Alliance missions, including the reinforcement of NATO’s eastern 

flank by leading 3 of the 4 battlegroups of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence; 

Whereas while an increasing number of NATO member 

states are fulfilling their pledges at the 2014 NATO summit in Wales to allocate 2 percent of their gross domestic 

product towards defense spending, all NATO member 

states should be urged to meet the 2 percent target and 

to allocate 20 percent of their annual defense spending 

on major new equipment, including related research and 

development, in order to more fairly share the burden of 

transatlantic defense; 

Whereas United States force deployments to Europe as part 

of the European Deterrence Initiative, and the corresponding measures by NATO member states in the Enhanced Forward Presence, are contributing to enhanced 

security on NATO’s eastern flank; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s aggression towards its 

neighbors, its breach of international norms, and its noncompliance with its arms control commitments have seVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Jul 18, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR557.RS SR557

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•SRES 557 RS 

verely impacted European security and will continue to 

pose a security threat for the foreseeable future; 

Whereas administrative and logistical obstacles to the mobility of military assets across Europe, and the potential 

mismatch between the speed of NATO-level decision making and the speed of a crisis, have been shown to constitute potential challenges to the successful defense of 

NATO’s territorial integrity; 

Whereas the cyber domain is a crucial aspect of NATO operations and a key tool at potential adversaries’ disposal; 

Whereas NATO member states collectively face a continued 

and persistent threat from terrorism and our NATO allies are making significant commitments in keeping terrorist networks from interfering in any NATO territory; 

Whereas NATO member states— 

(1) have collectively identified corruption and poor 

governance, including within member states, as ‘‘security 

challenges which undermine democracy, the rule of law, 

and economic development’’; and 

(2) in recognition of this challenge, adopted a Building Integrity Policy, which is intended to support transparent and accountable defense institutions under democratic control; 

Whereas NATO’s enlargement has delivered enhanced security and stability to all NATO member states, including 

Montenegro (the newest NATO member), while remaining incomplete and underlining the need for NATO’s 

Open Door Policy to remain in effect for all aspiring 

countries and for invitations to join NATO to be issued 

as soon as an aspirant country has met the conditions for 

membership; 


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•SRES 557 RS 

Whereas the first of 10 Principles Guiding Relations between 

Participating States contained in the Final Act of the 

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, done 

at Helsinki August 1, 1975 (commonly known as the 

‘‘Helsinki Final Act’’), recognizes the right to be or not 

to be a party to treaties of alliance as a right inherent 

in sovereignty to be respected on an equal basis among 

the signatory states; and 

Whereas the commitment made by NATO in the Founding 

Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security Between NATO and the Russian Federation, done at Paris 

May 27, 1997 (commonly known as the ‘‘NATO-Russia 

Founding Act’’), to ‘‘carry out its collective defence and 

other missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, 

integration, and capability for reinforcement rather than 

by additional permanent stationing of substantial combat 

forces’’ was predicated on ‘‘the current and foreseeable 

security environment’’ that existed in 1997, which has 

been fundamentally altered by the aggression directed by 

the leaders of the Russian Federation: 

Now, therefore, be it 

Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred to in 

this Resolution as ‘‘NATO’’) will hold its next Summit 

meeting July 11–12, 2018, in Brussels, Belgium; 

Whereas the security of the United States remains inextricably 

linked to the security of Europe and NATO’s founding 

purpose remains as valid today as it was when NATO was 

created; 

Whereas our NATO allies have contributed significantly to 

military operations led by the United States around the 

world, and actively contribute to current Alliance misVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Jul 18, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR557.RS SR557

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•SRES 557 RS 

sions, including the reinforcement of NATO’s eastern flank 

by leading 3 of the 4 battlegroups of NATO’s Enhanced 

Forward Presence; 

Whereas while an increasing number of NATO member states 

are fulfilling their pledges at the 2014 NATO summit in 

Wales to allocate 2 percent of their gross domestic product 

towards defense spending, all NATO member states should 

be urged to meet the 2 percent target and to allocate 20 

percent of their annual defense spending on major new 

equipment, including related research and development, in 

order to more fairly share the burden of transatlantic defense; 

Whereas United States force deployments to Europe as part of 

the European Deterrence Initiative, and the corresponding 

measures by NATO member states in the Enhanced Forward Presence, are contributing to enhanced security on 

NATO’s eastern flank; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s aggression towards its neighbors, its breach of international norms, and its noncompliance with its arms control commitments have severely impacted European security and will continue to pose a security threat for the foreseeable future; 

Whereas administrative and logistical obstacles to the mobility 

of military assets across Europe and the potential mismatch between the speed of NATO-level decision making 

and the timeline of a crisis may constitute challenges to 

the successful defense of NATO’s territorial integrity; 

Whereas the cyber domain is a crucial aspect of NATO operations and a key tool at potential adversaries’ disposal; 

Whereas NATO member states collectively face a continued and 

persistent threat from terrorism and our NATO allies are 


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•SRES 557 RS 

making significant commitments in keeping terrorist networks from interfering in any NATO territory; 

Whereas NATO member states— 

(1) have collectively identified corruption and poor 

governance, including within member states, as ‘‘security 

challenges which undermine democracy, the rule of law 

and economic development’’; and 

(2) in recognition of this challenge, adopted a Building Integrity Policy, which is intended to support transparent and accountable defense institutions under democratic control; 

Whereas NATO’s enlargement has delivered enhanced security 

and stability to all NATO member states, including Montenegro (the newest NATO member), and has demonstrated 

the importance of NATO’s Open Door Policy for all aspiring countries and for invitations to join NATO to be 

issued as soon as an aspirant country has met the conditions for membership; 

Whereas the first of 10 Principles Guiding Relations between 

Participating States contained in the Final Act of the 

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, done 

at Helsinki August 1, 1975 (commonly known as the ‘‘Helsinki Final Act’’), recognizes the right to be or not to be 

a party to treaties of alliance as a right inherent in sovereignty to be respected on an equal basis among the signatory states; and 

Whereas the commitment made by NATO in the Founding Act 

on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security Between 

NATO and the Russian Federation, done at Paris, May 

27, 1997 (commonly known as the ‘‘NATO-Russia Founding Act’’), to ‘‘carry out its collective defence and other 

missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, inteVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Jul 18, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR557.RS SR557

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•SRES 557 RS 

gration, and capability for reinforcement rather than by 

additional permanent stationing of substantial combat 

forces’’ was predicated on ‘‘the current and foreseeable security environment’’ that existed in 1997, which has been 

fundamentally altered by the aggression directed by the 

leaders of the Russian Federation: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reaffirms the enduring commitment of the 

3 United States to NATO’s collective defense, en4 shrined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, 

5 done at Washington April 4, 1949 (commonly known 

6 as the ‘‘Washington Treaty’’); 

7 (2) emphasizes the need for all NATO member 

8 states to be prepared to meet their respective obliga9 tions under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty; 

10 (3) pledges its support for all appropriate meas11 ures collectively taken to deter and defend against, 

12 if necessary, Russian aggression against the terri13 tory of any NATO member state, including the ex14 plicit aim of the leaders of the Russian Federation 

15 to fracture the unity between NATO member states; 

16 (4) emphasizes its commitment to a North At17 lantic alliance based on shared values, including the 

18 rule of law, to prevent internal forces from eroding 

19 NATO’s foundation; 

20 (5) encourages all NATO member states to 

21 clearly commit to further enlargement of the alliVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:29 Jul 18, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\SR557.RS SR557

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•SRES 557 RS 

1 ance, including extending invitations to any aspirant 

2 country which has met the conditions required to 

3 join NATO; and 

4 (6) urges leaders who will be meeting at the 

5 2018 NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium to ensure 

6 that NATO— 

7 (A) meets urgent security threats; 

8 (B) continues to transform to counter 

9 emerging and evolving challenges, including hy10 brid warfare, terrorism, cyberattacks, and re11 newed challenges to sea lines of communication 

12 between North America and Europe; and 

13 (C) adopts a rapid reinforcement plan 

14 that— 

15 (i) expedites political decision making; 

16 (ii) reinvigorates the NATO command 

17 structure; 

18 (iii) streamlines the capacity to mobi19 lize forces across national borders; and 

20 (iv) improves joint readiness goals. 

21 That the Senate— 

22 (1) reaffirms the enduring commitment of the 

23 United States to NATO’s collective defense, enshrined 

24 in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, done at 

25 Washington April 4, 1949; 


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•SRES 557 RS 

1 (2) emphasizes the need for all NATO member 

2 states to be prepared to meet their respective obliga3 tions under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty; 

4 (3) pledges its support for all appropriate meas5 ures collectively taken to deter and defend against, if 

6 necessary, Russian aggression against the territory of 

7 any NATO member state, including the explicit aim 

8 of the leaders of the Russian Federation to fracture 

9 the unity between NATO member states; 

10 (4) reaffirms its full support for the sovereignty, 

11 independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine 

12 within its internationally recognized borders and con13 demns the Russian Federation’s illegal invasion and 

14 attempted annexation of Crimea, which is in direct 

15 violation of the Russian Federation’s obligations 

16 under the Helsinki Final Act and the subsequent Bu17 dapest Memorandum on Security Assurances signed 

18 in December 1994; 

19 (5) calls for the sanctions that have been imposed 

20 and maintained to date by the United States and the 

21 European Union against persons engaged in fur22 thering the illegal occupation of Crimea by the Rus23 sian Federation to remain in place and demands full 

24 implementation with respect to the Russian Federa25 tion of existing sanctions mandates and authorities 


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•SRES 557 RS 

1 relating to Crimea under the Countering America’s 

2 Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (Public 

3 Law 115–44; 131 Stat. 866), the Global Magnitsky 

4 Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title 

5 XII of Public Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note), 

6 and other relevant provisions of law until Crimea is 

7 returned to Ukraine; 

8 (6) emphasizes its commitment to a North Atlan9 tic alliance based on shared values, including the rule 

10 of law, to prevent internal forces from eroding 

11 NATO’s foundation; 

12 (7) encourages all NATO member states to clear13 ly commit to further enlargement of the alliance, in14 cluding extending invitations to any aspirant country 

15 which has met the conditions required to join NATO; 

16 and 

17 (8) urges leaders who will be meeting at the 2018 

18 NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium to ensure that 

19 NATO— 

20 (A) meets urgent security threats; 

21 (B) continues to evolve to counter emerging 

22 challenges, including hybrid warfare, terrorism, 

23 cyberattacks, and renewed challenges to sea lines 

24 of communication between North America and 

25 Europe; and 


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•SRES 557 RS 

1 (C) adopts a rapid reinforcement plan 

2 that— 

3 (i) expedites political decision making; 

4 (ii) reinvigorates the NATO command 

5 structure; 

6 (iii) streamlines the capacity to mobi7 lize forces across national borders; and 

8 (iv) improves joint readiness goals. 


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Calendar No. 520 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 557 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the 

summit to strengthen the alliance. member states to work together at the upcoming security of the transatlantic region and urging its strategic importance of NATO to the collective 

JULY 17, 2018 

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 


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