IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1454 
Expressing the strong support of the House of Representatives for the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization to enter into a Membership Action Plan 
with Ukraine. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 
Mr. GERLACH (for himself, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. 
PLATTS, Mr. TIBERI, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. SHUSTER, and Mr. HINCHEY) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the strong support of the House of Representa-
tives for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to enter 
into a Membership Action Plan with Ukraine. 
Whereas the sustained commitment of the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization (NATO) to mutual defense has 
made possible the democratic transformation of Central 
and Eastern Europe and Eurasia; 
Whereas NATO members can and should play a critical role 
in addressing the security challenges of the post-Cold 
War era in creating the stable environment needed for 
emerging democracies in Europe and Eurasia; 
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•HRES 1454 IH 
Whereas lasting stability and security in Europe and Eurasia 
require the military, economic, and political integration of 
emerging democracies into existing European structures; 
Whereas, in an era of threats from terrorism and the pro-
liferation of weapons of mass destruction, NATO is in-
creasingly contributing to security in the face of global 
security challenges for the protection and interests of its 
member states; 
Whereas the Government of Ukraine has expressed a desire 
to join the Euro-Atlantic community, and Ukraine is 
working closely with NATO and its members to meet cri-
teria for eventual NATO membership; 
Whereas, at the NATO–Ukraine Commission Foreign Min-
isterial meeting in Vilnius in April 2005, NATO and 
Ukraine launched an Intensified Dialogue on membership 
between the Alliance and Ukraine; 
Whereas the Riga Summit Declaration, issued by the heads 
of state and government participating in the meeting of 
the North Atlantic Council in November 2006, reaffirms 
that NATO’s door remains open to new members and 
that NATO will continue to review the process for new 
membership, stating ‘‘We reaffirm that the Alliance will 
continue with . . . Ukraine its Intensified Dialogues 
which cover the full range of political, military, financial, 
and security issues relating to [Ukraine’s] aspirations to 
membership, without prejudice to any eventual Alliance 
decision. We reaffirm the importance of the NATO– 
Ukraine Distinctive Partnership, which has its 10th anni-
versary next year and welcome the progress that has been 
made in the framework of our Intensified Dialogue. We 
appreciate Ukraine’s substantial contributions to our 
common security, including through participation in 
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•HRES 1454 IH 
NATO-led operations and efforts to promote regional co-
operation. We encourage Ukraine to continue to con-
tribute to regional security. We are determined to con-
tinue to assist, through practical cooperation, in the im-
plementation of far-reaching reform efforts, notably in 
the fields of national security, defense, reform of the de-
fense-industrial sector and fighting corruption . . . We re-
affirm that it is of great importance that all parties in 
the region should engage constructively to promote re-
gional peace and stability.’’; 
Whereas, in January 2008, Ukraine forwarded to NATO Sec-
retary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer a letter, signed by 
President Victor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia 
Tymoshenko, and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Arseny 
Yatensyuk, requesting that NATO integrate Ukraine into 
the Membership Action Plan; 
Whereas participation in a Membership Action Plan does not 
guarantee future membership in the NATO Alliance; 
Whereas NATO membership requires significant national and 
international commitments and sacrifices and is not pos-
sible without the support of the populations of the NATO 
member States; 
Whereas at the Bucharest Summit in April 2008, Allied lead-
ers agree that Ukraine will become a NATO member in 
future and that its application to join the Membership 
Action Plan, would be reviewed in December 2008; 
Whereass military forces of the Russian Federation have ad-
vanced into and attacked the territory of the Republic of 
Georgia, grossly exceeding any mandate of Russian 
peacekeepers in South Ossetia, and officials of the Gov-
ernment of the Russian Federation have sought to oust 
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•HRES 1454 IH 
the democratically elected Government of the Republic of 
Georgia; 
Whereas Russian aggression in Georgia threatens the terri-
torial integrity and independence of nearby countries in 
the region such as Ukraine; and 
Whereas the NATO admission of Ukraine will dissuade fur-
ther acts of military force by the Russian Federation 
thereby strengthening the economic and territorial sta-
bility of the region: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) the House of Representatives— 
(A) reaffirms its previous expressions of 
support for continued enlargement of the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to in-
clude qualified candidates; and 
(B) supports the commitment to further 
enlargement of NATO to include democratic 
governments that are able and willing to meet 
the responsibilities of membership; 
(2) the expansion of NATO contributes to 
NATO’s continued effectiveness and relevance; 
(3) Ukraine is a strong ally that has made im-
portant progress in the areas of defense, democratic, 
and human rights reform; 
(4) a stronger, deeper relationship between the 
Government of Ukraine and NATO will be mutually 
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•HRES 1454 IH 
beneficial to Ukraine and to NATO member States; 
and 
(5) the United States should take the lead in 
supporting the awarding of a Membership Action 
Plan to Ukraine as soon as possible. 
Æ 
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