III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 78 

Expressing the sense of the Senate recognizing 3 years of Russian military 

aggression in Ukraine. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 2, 2017 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. GRAHAM) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate recognizing 3 years of 

Russian military aggression in Ukraine. 

Whereas, according to conservative estimates from the United 

Nations, approximately 10,000 people have been killed, 

over 20,000 wounded, and nearly 2,000,000 internally 

displaced since the current conflict in Ukraine began in 

2014; 

Whereas March 1, 2014, marks 3 years since the Government 

of the Russian Federation authorized military forces to 

illegally annex the Crimean region of Ukraine; 

Whereas the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances 

signed by the Russian Federation in December 1994 provided security assurances against the threats or use of 

force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine; 


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•SRES 78 IS 

Whereas the United States and other countries stated in a 

letter to the United Nations that the Russian annexation 

of Crimea in 2014 was a violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and thus was a breach 

of the Budapest Memorandum; 

Whereas, in September 2014, the Russian Federation signed 

the Minsk I Protocol, which called for an immediate 

cease-fire and effective monitoring by the Organization 

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

Whereas, in February 2015, the Russian Federation signed 

the Minsk II Protocol, which again called for an immediate cease-fire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons, and effective monitoring by the OSCE; 

Whereas Russian, Ukrainian, and European representatives 

reaffirmed their commitment to the Minsk agreements at 

the 2017 Munich Security Conference; 

Whereas Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently stated that 

the United States expects ‘‘Russia to honor its commitments to the Minsk agreements and work to de-escalate 

violence in Ukraine’’; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation, despite 

its commitments to these peace accords, continues to destabilize Ukraine through a variety of military and political maneuvers; 

Whereas OSCE observers still do not have full, unimpeded 

access to the Ukrainian-Russian border; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation continues to supply weapons, equipment, and personnel to 

separatists intent on undermining the sovereignty of 

Ukraine and who recently relaunched a campaign of aggression in January 2017; 


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•SRES 78 IS 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has yet 

to withdraw its heavy weapons from Ukraine and continues its sabotage and subversion efforts; 

Whereas Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order 

recognizing passports issued by separatist rebels in Eastern Ukraine; 

Whereas the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 (Public 

Law 113–272) authorized increased military and economic assistance for Ukraine; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation continues to engage in a campaign of disinformation about 

the conflict in both Ukraine and the West; 

Whereas the defense minister of the Russian Federation recently announced the formation of ‘‘information warfare 

troops’’; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has mobilized up to 100,000 troops to Belarus’ border with 

Lithuania and Poland, reminiscent of actions taken at 

the Ukrainian border in 2014; and 

Whereas it is longstanding policy of the United States Government not to recognize territorial changes effected by 

force alone: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns continued Russian military inter3 vention in the sovereign state of Ukraine; 

4 (2) calls on the Government of the Russian 

5 Federation to immediately cease all activity that 

6 seeks to normalize or recognize the Russian-backed 

7 rebel separatists in Eastern Ukraine; 


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•SRES 78 IS 

1 (3) affirms that sanctions imposed on the Rus2 sian Federation for destabilizing the international 

3 order in Eastern Europe should not be lifted until 

4 the Russian Federation complies with all terms of 

5 the Minsk agreements and ceases its illegal attempts 

6 to annex Ukraine’s Crimea; and 

7 (4) calls on the United States Government, 

8 United States allies in Europe, the United Nations, 

9 and international partners to continue to pressure 

10 the Government of the Russian Federation to uphold 

11 its international obligations. 

Æ 


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