III 

Calendar No. 547 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 571 

Condemning the ongoing illegal occupation of Crimea by the Russian 

Federation. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 10, 2018 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. 

COONS, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. 

BROWN, Mr. CASEY, and Mr. BOOKER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JULY 30, 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 

Condemning the ongoing illegal occupation of Crimea by 

the Russian Federation. 

Whereas, in February 2014, unidentified Russian armed 

forces entered Ukrainian territory and took control of key 

military and government infrastructure in the Crimean 

peninsula of Ukraine; 

Whereas, in March 2014, the parliament of the Russian Federation gave rubber-stamp approval to President Vladimir 


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Putin’s request to use military force against Ukrainian 

territory ostensibly because of the ‘‘threat of violence 

from ultranationalists’’; 

Whereas, on March 27, 2014, the United Nations General 

Assembly adopted Resolution 68/262 calling on states 

and international organizations not to recognize any 

change in Crimea’s status and affirmed the commitment 

of the United Nations to recognize Crimea as part of 

Ukraine; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea has been widely seen as an effort to stifle 

the spread of pro-democracy developments across 

Ukraine in 2014 in the wake of the Euromaidan protests; 

Whereas the Russian Federation is a signatory to the 1994 

Budapest Memorandum and thus committed to respect 

the independence, sovereignty, and borders of Ukraine 

and to refrain from threats, coercive economic actions, or 

the use of force against Ukraine’s territorial integrity 

and political independence; 

Whereas the Russian Federation committed in the 1975 

Final Act of the Conference for Security and Cooperation 

in Europe (Helsinki Final Act) to respect the sovereign 

equality and territorial integrity of other participating 

States; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s obligations under the 

Charter of the United Nations prohibit the threat or use 

of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of other states; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s ongoing illegal occupation 

of Crimea in Ukraine have been widely condemned by the 

international community as illegal acts; 


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Whereas the United States and European Union have imposed sanctions on individuals and entities who have enabled the illegal invasion, annexation, and occupation of 

Crimea; 

Whereas the Department of State has stated in its Country 

Reports on Human Rights Practices that security services and local authorities in Crimea installed by the Government of the Russian Federation have ‘‘worked to consolidate control over Crimea and continued to restrict 

human rights by imposing repressive Federal laws of the 

Russian Federation on the Ukrainian territory of Crimea’’ and that ‘‘the most significant human rights problems in Crimea [were] related directly to the Russian occupation’’; 

Whereas the Department of State has described ‘‘an extensive campaign of intimidation to suppress dissent and opposition to the occupation’’ that has been carried out by 

Russian security services inside Crimea, including the use 

of torture and physical abuse, kidnapping, disappearances, and deportations, and reporting from independent 

human rights groups inside and outside Crimea has documented such alleged human rights violations by Russian 

security services and paramilitary groups; 

Whereas the campaign of intimidation in Crimea has resulted 

in the prosecution and imprisonment of individuals who 

oppose or criticize the occupation or support Ukrainian 

sovereignty as well as the transfer of some individuals 

from Crimea to Russian Federation territory from prosecution and imprisonment; 

Whereas the Department of State has noted that illegal occupying authorities in Crimea have also restricted the fundamental human rights of particular groups, including 


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ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, ‘‘particularly regarding expressions of nationality and ethnicity, and subjected them to systematic discrimination’’; 

Whereas human rights groups have cited that such discrimination has been carried out in myriad ways, including 

through the outlawing in 2016 of the elected representative body (mejilis) of the Crimean Tatar people, the closing of Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian-language schools, 

and forced conscription; 

Whereas the Department of State and other international 

human rights groups have noted further continuing 

human rights concerns in Crimea, including the suppression of independent media and civil society through harassment and harsh administrative measures, politicized 

and unfair judicial processes, and poor prison conditions; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has 

worked to extend Russian citizenship to individuals inside 

Crimea and deprived access to public services of those 

who refuse such citizenship; 

Whereas civil society groups have alleged that the Government of the Russian Federation has encouraged Russian 

citizens to relocate to the Crimean peninsula and has 

supported the physical destruction of historical sites in 

Crimea, ostensibly to influence the demographics and political character of the region in favor of the Kremlin; 

and 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has supported the development of infrastructure and institutional 

ties between Crimea and the Russian Federation, including the opening of a road and rail bridge over the Kerch 

Strait on May 15, 2018: Now, therefore, be it 


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Whereas, in February 2014, unidentified Russian armed forces 

entered Ukrainian territory and took control of key military and government infrastructure in the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine; 

Whereas, in March 2014, the parliament of the Russian Federation gave rubber-stamp approval to President Vladimir 

Putin’s request to use military force against Ukrainian 

territory ostensibly because of the ‘‘threat of violence from 

ultranationalists’’; 

Whereas, on March 27, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 68/262 calling on states and 

international organizations not to recognize any change in 

Crimea’s status and affirmed the commitment of the 

United Nations to recognize Crimea as part of Ukraine; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea has been widely seen as an effort to stifle 

pro-democracy developments across Ukraine in 2014 in the 

wake of the Euromaidan protests; 

Whereas the Russian Federation is a signatory to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum and thus committed to respect the 

independence, sovereignty, and borders of Ukraine and to 

refrain from threats, coercive economic actions, or the use 

of force against Ukraine’s territorial integrity and political independence; 

Whereas the Russian Federation committed in the 1975 Final 

Act of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Final Act) to respect the sovereign equality 

and territorial integrity of other participating States; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s obligations under the Charter of the United Nations prohibit the threat or use of force 


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against the territorial integrity and political independence 

of other states; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s ongoing occupation of Crimea in Ukraine has been widely condemned by the international community as an illegal act; 

Whereas the United States and European Union have imposed 

sanctions on individuals and entities who have enabled the 

illegal invasion, annexation, and occupation of Crimea; 

Whereas the Department of State has stated in its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices that security services 

and local authorities in Crimea installed by the Government of the Russian Federation have ‘‘worked to consolidate control over Crimea and continued to restrict human 

rights by imposing repressive federal laws of the Russian 

Federation on the Ukrainian territory of Crimea’’ and 

that ‘‘the most significant human rights problems in Crimea [were] related directly to the Russian occupation’’; 

Whereas the Department of State has described ‘‘an extensive 

campaign of intimidation to suppress dissent and opposition to the occupation’’ that has been carried out by Russian security services inside Crimea, including the use of 

torture and physical abuse, kidnapping, disappearances, 

and deportations, and reporting from independent human 

rights groups inside and outside Crimea has documented 

such alleged human rights violations by Russian security 

services and paramilitary groups; 

Whereas the campaign of intimidation in Crimea has resulted 

in the prosecution and imprisonment of individuals who 

oppose or criticize the occupation or support Ukrainian 

sovereignty as well as the transfer of some individuals 


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from Crimea to Russian Federation territory for prosecution and imprisonment; 

Whereas the Department of State has noted that illegal occupying authorities in Crimea have also restricted the fundamental human rights of particular groups, including ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, ‘‘particularly regarding expressions of nationality and ethnicity, and 

[have] subjected them to systematic discrimination,’’ and 

human rights groups have reported that such discrimination has been carried out in myriad ways, including 

through the outlawing in 2016 of the elected representative 

body (mejilis) of the Crimean Tatar people, the closing of 

Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian-language schools, and 

forced conscription; 

Whereas the Department of State and other international 

human rights groups have noted further continuing human 

rights concerns in Crimea, including the suppression of 

independent media and civil society through harassment 

and harsh administrative measures, politicized and unfair 

judicial processes, and poor prison conditions; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has worked 

to extend Russian citizenship to individuals inside Crimea 

and deprived access to public services of those who refuse 

such citizenship; 

Whereas civil society groups have alleged that the Government 

of the Russian Federation has encouraged Russian citizens 

to relocate to the Crimean peninsula and has supported 

the physical destruction of historical sites in Crimea, ostensibly to influence the demographics and political character of the region in favor of the Government of the Russian Federation; and 


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Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has supported the development of infrastructure and institutional 

ties between Crimea and the Russian Federation, including the opening of a road and rail bridge over the Kerch 

Strait on May 15, 2018: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reiterates that Crimea is part of the sov3 ereign territory of Ukraine; 

4 (2) stresses that United States policy should re5 main that Crimea is part of Ukraine and should re6 ject attempts to change the status, demographics, or 

7 political nature of Crimea; 

8 (3) reaffirms respect for the values of democ9 racy, human rights, and rule of law that all individ10 uals in Crimea deserve, including non-Russian ethnic 

11 groups and religious minorities; 

12 (4) condemns all human rights violations 

13 against individuals in Crimea, and underscores the 

14 culpability of the Russian Federation for such viola15 tions while this territory is under illegal Russian oc16 cupation; 

17 (5) calls on the Government of the Russian 

18 Federation to immediately respect the political and 

19 human rights of individuals in Crimea, including 

20 those detained in Crimea or who have been trans21 ferred from Crimea to the territory of Russia, and 


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1 to cease efforts to restrict dissent or change the de2 mographic or political nature of the peninsula; 

3 (6) urges the United States Government, in co4 ordination with the European Union, NATO, and 

5 members of the international community, to 

6 prioritize efforts to prevent the further consolidation 

7 of illegal occupying powers in Crimea, reaffirm uni8 fied opposition to the actions of the Russian Federa9 tion in Crimea, and secure the human rights of indi10 viduals there; 

11 (7) welcomes the sanctions that have been im12 posed and maintained to date by the United States 

13 and European Union against individuals engaged in 

14 furthering the illegal occupation of Crimea by the 

15 Russian Federation; 

16 (8) calls on the United States Government to 

17 continue to use relevant sanctions authorities codi18 fied in the Countering America’s Adversaries 

19 Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (Public Law 115– 

20 144), as well as under the Global Magnitsky Human 

21 Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of 

22 Public Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note), to ad23 dress and deter those engaged in furthering the ille24 gal occupation of Crimea and human rights abuses 


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1 and corruption committed in Crimea or against indi2 viduals from Crimea; 

3 (9) welcomes further efforts by the United 

4 States Government to encourage the European 

5 Union to impose additional Crimea-related sanctions; 

6 and 

7 (10) calls upon the United States Government 

8 to declare it the foreign policy of the United States 

9 to never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea 

10 by the Russian Federation, similar to the 1940 

11 Welles Declaration in which the United States re12 fused to recognized the Soviet annexation of the Bal13 tic States. 

14 That the Senate— 

15 (1) reiterates that Crimea is part of the sov16 ereign territory of Ukraine; 

17 (2) stresses that United States policy should re18 main that Crimea is part of Ukraine and should be 

19 to reject attempts to change the status, demographics, 

20 or political nature of Crimea; 

21 (3) reaffirms its unwavering support for democ22 racy, human rights, and the rule of law for all indi23 viduals in Crimea, including non-Russian ethnic 

24 groups and religious minorities; 


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1 (4) condemns all human rights violations 

2 against individuals in Crimea, and underscores the 

3 culpability of the Russian Federation for such viola4 tions while this territory is under illegal Russian oc5 cupation; 

6 (5) calls on the Government of the Russian Fed7 eration to immediately respect the political and 

8 human rights of individuals in Crimea, including 

9 those detained in Crimea or who have been trans10 ferred from Crimea to the territory of Russia, and to 

11 cease efforts to restrict dissent or change the demo12 graphic or political nature of the peninsula; 

13 (6) urges the United States Government, in co14 ordination with the European Union, North Atlantic 

15 Treaty Organization, and members of the inter16 national community, to prioritize efforts to prevent 

17 the further consolidation of illegal occupying powers 

18 in Crimea, reaffirm unified opposition to the actions 

19 of the Russian Federation in Crimea, and secure the 

20 human rights of individuals there; 

21 (7) welcomes the sanctions that have been im22 posed and maintained to date by the United States 

23 and European Union against individuals engaged in 

24 furthering the illegal occupation of Crimea by the 

25 Russian Federation; 


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1 (8) calls on the United States Government to 

2 continue to use relevant sanctions authorities, includ3 ing those codified in the Countering America’s Adver4 saries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (Public Law 

5 115–144) and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights 

6 Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public 

7 Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note), to address and 

8 deter those engaged in furthering the illegal occupa9 tion of Crimea and human rights abuses and corrup10 tion committed in Crimea or against individuals 

11 from Crimea; 

12 (9) welcomes further efforts by the United States 

13 Government to encourage the European Union to im14 pose additional Crimea-related sanctions; and 

15 (10) calls upon the United States Government to 

16 declare it the foreign policy of the United States to 

17 never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea by 

18 the Russian Federation, similar to the 1940 Welles 

19 Declaration in which the United States refused to rec20 ognize the Soviet annexation of the Baltic States. 


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Calendar No. 547 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 571 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the ongoing illegal occupation of 

Crimea by the Russian Federation. 

JULY 30, 2018 

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 


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