H. Res. 162 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
March 23, 2015. 
Whereas the existence of an independent, democratic, and 
prosperous Ukraine is in the national interest of the 
United States; 
Whereas the Russian Federation under President Vladimir 
Putin has engaged in relentless political, economic, and 
military aggression to subvert the independence and vio-
late the territorial integrity of Ukraine; 
Whereas this aggression includes the illegal and forcible occu-
pation of Crimea by Russian military and security forces; 
Whereas this Russian aggression includes the establishment 
and control of violent separatist proxies in other areas of 
Ukraine, including arming them with lethal weapons and 
other materiel including tanks, artillery, and rockets that 
have enabled separatist militias to launch and sustain an 
insurrection that has resulted in over 6,000 dead, 15,000 
wounded, and more than a million displaced persons; 
Whereas military and security forces of the Russian Federa-
tion have been infiltrated into these areas of Ukraine and 
continue to provide direct combat support to the sepa-
ratist groups in this conflict; 
Whereas failure to stop this aggression by the Russian Fed-
eration against Ukraine, especially its unprovoked and
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armed intervention in a sovereign country, illegal and 
forcible occupation of its territory, and unilateral efforts 
to redraw the internationally-recognized borders of 
Ukraine undermines the foundation of the international 
order that was established and has been defended at 
great cost by the United States and its allies in the after-
math of World War II; 
Whereas Russian aggression against Ukraine is but the most 
visible and recent manifestation of a revisionist Kremlin 
strategy to redraw international borders and impose its 
will on its neighbors, including NATO allies; 
Whereas on September 18, 2014, President Petro Poroshenko 
addressed a Joint Meeting of Congress at which he 
thanked the United States for the military assistance it 
has provided to defend the freedom and territorial integ-
rity of his country and asked for ‘‘both non-lethal and le-
thal’’ military assistance, stating that ‘‘one cannot win a 
war with blankets’’; 
Whereas the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General 
Martin Dempsey stated on March 3, 2015, that ‘‘we 
should absolutely consider providing lethal aid’’ to 
Ukraine; 
Whereas Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter stated on Feb-
ruary 4, 2015, during his confirmation hearing that he 
is ‘‘very much inclined’’ toward providing Ukraine with 
weapons to defend itself; 
Whereas Congress provided the President with the authoriza-
tion and budgetary resources to provide Ukraine with 
military assistance to enhance its ability to defend its 
sovereign territory from the unprovoked and continuing 
aggression of the Russian Federation, including in the
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Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, which was signed 
into law on December 18, 2014; 
Whereas the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 specifi-
cally authorizes the provision of anti-armor weapons, 
crew-served weapons and ammunition, counter-artillery 
radars, fire control, range finder, and optical and guid-
ance and control equipment, tactical troop-operated sur-
veillance drones, and secure command and communica-
tions equipment; 
Whereas even as it faces a massive military assault, Ukraine 
is confronting an economic crisis that requires both long- 
term financial and technical assistance by the United 
States and the international community, especially the 
countries of the European Union and the International 
Monetary Fund, as well as fundamental economic and po-
litical reforms by the government of Ukraine; 
Whereas the United States and its allies should provide as-
sistance to support energy diversification and efficiency 
initiatives in Ukraine to lessen its vulnerability to coer-
cion by the Russian Federation; 
Whereas the United States and its allies should continue to 
work with Ukrainian officials to develop plans to increase 
energy production and efficiency in order to increase en-
ergy security beyond the short-term; 
Whereas the United States, in close cooperation with inter-
national donors, has provided Ukraine with macro-eco-
nomic assistance to boost Ukraine’s economy; and 
Whereas the United States and its allies need a long-term 
strategy to expose and challenge Vladimir Putin’s corrup-
tion and repression at home and his aggression abroad: 
Now, therefore, be it
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives strongly 
urges the President to fully and immediately exercise the au-
thorities provided by Congress to provide Ukraine with lethal 
defensive weapon systems to enhance the ability of the people 
of Ukraine to defend their sovereign territory from the 
unprovoked and continuing aggression of the Russian Federa-
tion. 
Attest: 
Clerk.