IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 981 
Supporting continued political and economic development in Ukraine. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 16, 2009 
Mr. BERMAN (for himself, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. BARTLETT, 
Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, and Mr. 
WEXLER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting continued political and economic development in 
Ukraine. 
Whereas in 1991, Ukraine re-established its independence, 
and began the process of developing democratic institu-
tions and a market economy; 
Whereas the Ukrainian people bravely demonstrated their de-
sire for a free, democratic, and prosperous country 
through nonviolent protest during the 2004 Orange Revo-
lution; 
Whereas the United States and Ukraine have a strong rela-
tionship, as evidenced by the United States-Ukraine 
Charter on Strategic Partnership, signed in December 
2008 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with the ob-
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•HRES 981 IH 
jective of expanding cooperation on defense, trade, en-
ergy, 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 Wash-
ington, 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-
terests of the United States and to achieving peace, pros-
perity 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 dis-
eases; 
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-Pro-
liferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear weapons 
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state as well as the entry into force of the START Trea-
ty; 
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 re-
corded 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, 
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 finan-
cial institutions, but still needs to overcome internal polit-
ical and economic stalemates that prevent it from ful-
filling 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 un-
tainted: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 981 IH 
(1) reaffirms the strong relationship between 
the United States and Ukraine, and encourages con-
tinued efforts to implement the provisions of the 
United States-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Part-
nership; 
(2) expresses its support for the efforts of the 
Ukrainian people to consolidate democratic institu-
tions, rule of law, respect for human rights, and eco-
nomic reforms; 
(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 resolu-
tion of disputes and to take active measures to en-
able 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 
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them unimpeded access to all aspects of the election 
process; and 
(7) reiterates its enduring support and friend-
ship for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. 
Æ 
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