H. Res. 981 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

January 13, 2010. 

Whereas in 1991, Ukraine re-established its independence, 

and began the process of developing democratic institutions and a market economy; 

Whereas the Ukrainian people bravely demonstrated their desire for a free, democratic, and prosperous country 

through nonviolent protest during the 2004 Orange Revolution; 

Whereas the United States and Ukraine have a strong relationship, as evidenced by the United States-Ukraine 

Charter on Strategic Partnership, signed in December 

2008 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with the objective of expanding cooperation on defense, trade, energy, democratic development, and cultural exchange; 

Whereas during the July 2009 visit of Vice President Biden 

to Kyiv, the United States and Ukraine agreed to create 

the Strategic Partnership Commission to help implement 

the Charter, which held its inaugural meeting in Washington, DC, on December 9, 2009, during the visit of the 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister; 

Whereas a strong, sovereign, independent, democratic, and 

economically prosperous Ukraine is important to the in-
2 

•HRES 981 EH 

terests of the United States and to achieving peace, prosperity and stability in Europe; 

Whereas Ukraine has been a staunch partner of the United 

States and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) 

allies, as demonstrated by Ukraine’s participation in the 

International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan 

and the NATO Training Mission in Iraq and by NATO’s 

declaration at the Bucharest Summit in April 2008 that 

Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance; 

Whereas the United States and the European Union provide 

assistance to help Ukraine foster peace and security, 

strengthen its democratic institutions, further economic 

growth, and counter HIV/AIDS and other deadly diseases; 

Whereas the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia 

gave security assurances to Ukraine in the Budapest 

Memoranda of December 5, 1994, following Ukraine’s 

commitment to eliminate all nuclear weapons from its 

territory and its accession to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear weapons 

state as well as the entry into force of the START Treaty; 

Whereas the Joint Statement on the Expiration of the 

START Treaty issued by the United States and Russia 

on December 4, 2009, affirmed that ‘‘the assurances recorded in the Budapest Memoranda will remain in effect 

after December 4, 2009’’; 

Whereas, as Vice President Biden stated when he was in 

Kyiv, the effort to reset the United States relationship 

with Russia ‘‘will not come at Ukraine’s expense,’’ and 

‘‘the more substantive relationship we have with Moscow, 
3 

•HRES 981 EH 

the more we can defuse the zero-sum thinking about our 

relations with Russia’s neighbors.’’; 

Whereas Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have suffered 

from the world financial crisis, and the government has 

sought and received assistance from international financial institutions, but still needs to overcome internal political and economic stalemates that prevent it from fulfilling its requirements and hinder its ability to achieve 

greater financial stability; 

Whereas Ukraine will hold a presidential election on January 

17, 2010, with a possible run-off election on February 7, 

2010, if needed; 

Whereas the initial 2004 presidential elections in Ukraine 

were marred by widespread irregularities, including 

fraud, intimidation, falsification of results, and media 

bias; and 

Whereas it is vital for Ukraine’s democratic development that 

the 2010 elections be free, fair, transparent, and untainted: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) reaffirms the strong relationship between the 

United States and Ukraine, and encourages continued 

efforts to implement the provisions of the United StatesUkraine Charter on Strategic Partnership; 

(2) expresses its support for the efforts of the 

Ukrainian people to consolidate democratic institutions, 

rule of law, respect for human rights, and economic reforms; 
4 

•HRES 981 EH 

(3) recognizes the suffering of the Ukrainian people 

due to the downturn in the world economy, and supports 

measures by the international financial institutions to 

assist Ukraine; 

(4) urges all parties in Ukraine to seek resolution 

of disputes and to take active measures to enable necessary political and economic reforms; 

(5) urges the Government of Ukraine and all political parties to ensure that the 2010 election is conducted 

freely, fairly, transparently, and without manipulation; 

(6) encourages the Government of Ukraine and all 

political parties to welcome the participation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 

(OSCE) and other international election monitors, cooperate fully with them, and provide them unimpeded 

access to all aspects of the election process; and 

(7) reiterates its enduring support and friendship 

for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. 

Attest: 

Clerk.