Black Sea Security Act of 2022
Bill: S.4509 | Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Black Sea Security Act of 2022
This bill authorizes the National Security Council to direct an interagency strategy to (1) increase coordination with NATO and the European Union, (2) deepen economic ties, and (3) strengthen the security and democratic resilience of partners in the Black Sea region in accordance with U.S. values and interests.

To provide for security in the Black Sea region, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Black Sea Security Act of 
2022''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Congress makes the following findings:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The Black Sea region is of critical importance 
        to the national security of six nations: Ukraine, Georgia, 
        Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The Black Sea region has been a zone of 
        increasing tension and conflict on the eastern border of the 
        European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        (NATO) following President Vladimir Putin's 2014 and 2022 
        invasions of Ukraine and 2008 invasion of Georgia, which still 
        has territories illegally occupied by the Russian 
        Federation.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Since the illegal attempted annexation of 
        Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014, the Russian Federation has 
        enhanced the Black Sea Fleet to increase its presence in the 
        region, enhanced its air and coastal defenses, disregarded 
        international law regarding freedom of navigation to interrupt 
        in regular shipping routes, and threatened freedom of 
        navigation exercises in the Black Sea.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Since its military interventions in the Black 
        Sea region starting in 2008, the Russian Federation has 
        undertaken persistent hybrid measures to further destabilize 
        the region through malign influence campaigns.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by the 
        Russian Federation, the unity among Black Sea countries has 
        strengthened, particularly among NATO member countries Romania, 
        Bulgaria, and Turkey.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) The Russian Federation is leveraging its 
        illegal claim over Black Sea waters and the territories of 
        Black Sea region states to execute military exercises to 
        threaten the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine and kill 
        innocent civilians.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Russia has a long history of using its 
        position in the Black Sea and Crimea to threaten NATO allies, 
        including the HMS Defender incident of June 2021, when a 
        British ship was harassed by Russian ships while undertaking a 
        freedom of navigation patrol in waters near the Crimean 
        Peninsula.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) While NATO has conducted routine exercises in 
        the region, the United States presence in the Black Sea has 
        decreased since Russia's annexation of Crimea due to competing 
        security priorities among allies, a lack of available ships and 
        resources, and a lack of a clearly defined regional 
        strategy.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) While, in February 2022, Turkey blocked the 
        entry of Russian warships into the Black Sea pursuant to the 
        Convention regarding the Regime of the Straits, signed at 
        Montreux, Switzerland July 20, 1936 (commonly known as the 
        ``Montreux Convention''), the Montreux Convention does not 
        account for the increase in size, weight, and capabilities of 
        modern warships, and Russia does not have the same limits on 
        tonnage as non-littoral states.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) Turkey has resisted attempts to change its 
        interpretation of the Montreux Convention to avoid weakening 
        their position in the region.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (11) While NATO has long recognized the strategic 
        importance of the Black Sea, Russia has sought to capitalize on 
        at times divergent priorities among NATO members in the region 
        to advance expansionist claims.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (12) On February 24, 2022, Russian Federation 
        President Vladimir Putin instigated an unprovoked, unjustified, 
        and unlawful war violating the territorial integrity of the 
        sovereign country of Ukraine and is using the Russian 
        Federation's military presence on the Black Sea to kill 
        innocent Ukrainian civilians.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (13) The Russian Federation's unprovoked war on 
        Ukraine has underscored the importance of the Black Sea region 
        to United States national security interests.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (14) The Russian Federation's unprovoked war has 
        caused a food security crisis as 20,000,000-30,000,000 tons of 
        Ukrainian grain remain unable to leave Ukraine in an efficient 
        and secure manner. The war has also impeded Ukraine's ability 
        to produce and transport next year's harvest.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (15) The Russian Federation's actions in and 
        around the Black Sea have also disrupted secure, reliable 
        access to energy resources throughout Europe. Notably, Gazprom 
        suspended natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria on April 
        27, 2022, after the two countries refused to abide by a March 
        31, 2022, Russian decree that all payments be made in rubles, 
        in violation of the terms of their contracts with 
        Gazprom.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (16) The People's Republic of China (PRC)'s 
        coercive economic policies also threaten the economic stability 
        of the Black Sea region.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON BLACK SEA SECURITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) it is in the interest of the United States to 
        prevent the spread of further armed conflict in Europe by 
        recognizing the Black Sea region as an arena of Russian 
        aggression;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the littoral members of the Black Sea are 
        critical in countering aggression by the Government of the 
        Russian Federation and maintaining the collective security of 
        the NATO alliance;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the repeated, illegal, unprovoked, and violent 
        attempts of the Russian Federation to expand its territory and 
        control access to the Mediterranean through the Black Sea 
        constitutes a threat to the national security of the United 
        States and the NATO alliance;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the United States condemns attempts by the 
        Russian Federation to change or alter boundaries in the Black 
        Sea region by any means contrary to international 
        law;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) the United States and its allies should 
        robustly counter Russia's illegal territorial claims on the 
        Crimean Peninsula, along Ukraine's territorial waters in the 
        Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, in the Black Sea's international 
        waters, and in the territories it is illegally occupying in 
        Ukraine;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) the United States should continue to work 
        within NATO and with NATO allies to develop a long-term 
        strategy to enhance security, establish a permanent, 
        sustainable presence in the eastern flank, and bolster the 
        democratic resilience of its allies and partners in the 
        region;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) the United States should also work with the 
        European Union in coordinating a strategy to support democratic 
        initiatives and economic prosperity in the region, which 
        includes two European Union members and four aspirant 
        nations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) the United States should explore efforts to 
        rebuild trust and bilateral relations with Turkey, a key ally 
        in the Black Sea region and a bulwark against Iran;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) it is in the interest of the United States 
        that NATO adopt a robust strategy toward the Black Sea, 
        including by working with interested partner countries in the 
        region to advance common security objectives;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) the United States should work to foster 
        dialogue among countries within the Black Sea region to improve 
        communication and intelligence sharing and increase cyber 
        defense capabilities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (11) countries with historic and economic ties to 
        Russia are looking to the United States and Europe to provide a 
        positive economic presence in the broader region as a 
        counterbalance to the Russian Federation's malign influence in 
        the region;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (12) it is in the interest of the United States to 
        support and bolster the economic ties between the United States 
        and Black Sea partners;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (13) the United States should support the 
        initiative undertaken by central and eastern European states to 
        advance the Three Seas Initiative Fund to strengthen transport, 
        energy, and digital infrastructure connectivity in the region 
        between the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, and Black Sea;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (14) there are mutually beneficial opportunities 
        for increased investment and economic expansion, particularly 
        on energy, climate, and transport infrastructure initiatives, 
        between the United States and Black Sea states and the broader 
        region;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (15) improved economic ties between the United 
        States and the Black Sea states and the broader region can lead 
        to a strengthened strategic partnership;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (16) the United States must address the food 
        security challenges arising from closure of Ukraine's Black Sea 
        ports, as this global challenge will have critical national 
        security implications for the United States, our partners, and 
        allies;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (17) Russia has a brutal history of using hunger 
        as a weapon and must be stopped; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (18) countering the PRC's coercive economic 
        pursuits remains an important policy imperative in order to 
        further integrate the Black Sea countries into western 
        economies and improve regional stability.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. REPORT ON UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD THE BLACK SEA 
              REGION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the National Security Council, in 
coordination with the Department of State, Department of Defense, the 
Department of the Treasury, the Department of Commerce, the Department 
of Energy, the United States Agency for International Development, the 
Trade and Development Agency, the United States Export-Import Bank, the 
Department of Agriculture, and the United States International 
Development Finance Corporation, shall deliver to the appropriate 
congressional committees an interagency report that outlines current 
United States efforts and policy options toward Black Sea countries and 
the broader region and addresses the matters addressed in section 3, 
including NATO engagement in the region.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) 
shall include the following elements:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) An overview of ongoing efforts by relevant 
        United States Government agencies toward the Black Sea region, 
        both through bilateral initiatives with Black Sea countries and 
        any regional initiatives toward the region, to provide military 
        and security assistance, economic support, and good governance 
        initiatives.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A description of current efforts and policy 
        options that can be undertaken by the Department of State, the 
        United States International Development Finance Corporation, 
        the United States Export-Import Bank, the Trade and Development 
        Agency, the Department of Energy, the Department of the 
        Treasury, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of 
        Agriculture to promote economic growth, integration, and 
        quality infrastructure (including for energy integration and 
        independence) in the Black Sea littoral states and the broader 
        region.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) A breakdown of initiatives to provide the 
        following types of support, together with a breakdown of 
        funding to support these efforts:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Military assistance, including 
                infrastructure in support of enhanced deployments and 
                supply logistics in the region.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Economic assistance, including support 
                for the food security crisis.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Countering Russian disinformation and 
                propaganda in the Black Sea region.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Energy diversification and regional 
                market integration and supply to reduce dependence on 
                energy from the Russian Federation and promote clean 
                energy initiatives.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Using economic statecraft tools, such 
                as trade and monetary policy, equity investments and 
                debt financing and political risk insurance, to 
                increase the United States bilateral trade and 
                investment in the region and opportunities for near-
                shoring production in the broader region for the 
                European market.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) Fostering greater regional 
                cooperation.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Increasing access to global capital 
                markets and enhancement of local and regional sources 
                of capital for critical infrastructure and other 
                investments.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) A plan for helping United States 
                allies in the region to accelerate their transitions 
                from legacy Russian military equipment and promote NATO 
                interoperability.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (I) Strengthening rule-of-law and anti-
                corruption efforts.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (J) Addressing the PRC's coercive economic 
                actions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) An assessment of NATO engagement in the region 
        and policy options to address the changed regional security 
        environment, including NATO's presence in the region and an 
        outline of NATO's planned and recent military exercises in the 
        region, in particular those under Headquarters Multinational 
        Division Southeast (in Romania) and the four new battle groups 
        in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. UNITED STATES POLICY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    It is the policy of the United States to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) actively deter the threat of further Russian 
        escalation in the Black Sea region and defend freedom of 
        navigation in the Black Sea to prevent the spread of further 
        armed conflict in Europe;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) advocate within NATO, among NATO allies, and 
        within the European Union to develop a long-term coordinated 
        strategy to enhance security, establish a permanent, 
        sustainable presence in the eastern flank, and bolster the 
        democratic resilience of United States allies and partners in 
        the region;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) support and bolster the economic ties between 
        the United States and Black Sea partners, and mobilize the 
        United States International Development Finance Corporation, 
        the Export-Import Bank, the Trade and Development Agency, the 
        Department of State, the United States Agency for International 
        Development, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department 
        of Commerce to increase United States presence and investment 
        in Black Sea countries;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) provide economic alternatives to the PRC's 
        coercive economic options that destabilize and further erode 
        economic integration of the Black Sea littoral 
        states;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) ensure that the United States continues to 
        support Black Sea countries to strengthen their democratic 
        institutions to prevent corruption and accelerate their 
        advancement into the Euroatlantic community; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) encourage the initiative undertaken by central 
        and eastern European states to advance the Three Seas 
        Initiative to strengthen transport, energy, and digital 
        infrastructure connectivity in the region between the Adriatic 
        Sea, Baltic Sea, and Black Sea.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. BLACK SEA SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Black Sea Development and Security Strategy.--No later 
than 360 days after the enactment of this Act, drawing from the policy 
options developed in the report in section 4, the National Security 
Council, in coordination with the Department of State, the Department 
of Defense, the United States International Development Finance 
Corporation, the United States Agency for International Development, 
the United States Export-Import Bank, the Trade and Development Agency 
the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, the Department of 
Agriculture, and the Department of the Treasury, shall direct an 
interagency strategy, based on the findings of the report under section 
4, to increase military assistance and coordination with NATO and the 
European Union, deepen economic ties, strengthen economic and energy 
security and enhance security assistance with Black Sea countries, and 
support efforts to bolster their democratic resilience.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purpose and Objectives.--The initiative established 
under subsection (a) shall have the following goals and 
objectives:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Ensuring the efficient and effective delivery 
        of security assistance to the Black Sea states, prioritizing 
        assistance that will bolster defenses against hybrid warfare 
        and improve interoperability with NATO forces.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Bolstering United States support for the 
        region's energy security and integration with Europe and 
        reducing their dependence on Russia while supporting energy 
        diversification.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Mitigating the impact of economic coercion by 
        the Russian Federation and the PRC on Black Sea states and 
        identifying new opportunities for foreign direct investment 
        from the United States and cooperating countries and the 
        enhancement of United States business ties.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Increasing high-level engagement between the 
        United States and the Black Sea states, and reinforcing 
        economic growth, financing quality infrastructure, and 
        reinforcing trade with a focus on improving high-level economic 
        cooperation.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Increasing coordination with the European 
        Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to maximize 
        effectiveness and minimize duplication.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Activities.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Security.--The strategy established under 
        subsection (a) shall include the following elements related to 
        security:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) A plan to increase interagency 
                coordination toward the Black Sea region.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) A strategy for--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the United States to increase 
                        NATO's presence and capabilities in the Black 
                        Sea region, including land and air forces; 
                        or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) a United States-led 
                        initiative with NATO member countries to 
                        increase coordination, presence, and regional 
                        engagement among Black Sea countries.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) A strategy to increase military 
                assistance toward Black Sea countries, particularly 
                Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Prioritization of intelligence, 
                surveillance, and reconnaissance systems to monitor 
                Russian operations in the Black Sea region, as well as 
                upgrading from air policing to air defense 
                missions.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) An assessment of the value of 
                establishing a joint, multinational three-star 
                headquarters on the Black Sea, responsible for 
                planning, readiness, exercises, and coordination of all 
                military activity in the greater Black Sea 
                region.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) An overview of Foreign Military 
                Financing, International Military Education and 
                Training, and other United States security assistance 
                to the region.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) A plan for communicating the changes 
                to NATO posture to the public in allied and partner 
                countries, as well as in the Russian Federation and 
                Belarus.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) A plan for combating Russian 
                disinformation and propaganda in the Black Sea region, 
                utilizing the resources of the United States 
                Government, including the Global Engagement 
                Center.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (I) A plan to promote greater freedom of 
                navigation, working primarily with Turkey, Ukraine, 
                Romania, and Bulgaria to allow for greater security and 
                economic Black Sea access.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Economic prosperity.--The strategy established 
        under subsection (a) shall include the following elements 
        related to economic prosperity:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) A strategy to foster dialogue between 
                experts from the United States and from the Black Sea 
                states on economic expansion, foreign direct 
                investment, strengthening rule of law initiatives, and 
                mitigating economic coercion by Russia and the 
                PRC.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) A strategy for the United States 
                International Development Finance Corporation and all 
                Federal departments and agencies that contribute to 
                United States economic statecraft to identify new 
                opportunities for private investment in Black Sea 
                states.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) An evaluation undertaken by United 
                States International Development Finance Corporation to 
                establish regional offices in Georgia, Ukraine, or 
                Romania.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Assessments on energy diversification. 
                The assessment should focus on the immediate need to 
                replace energy supplies from Russia, and recognize the 
                long-term importance of broader energy diversification, 
                including clean energy initiatives.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Assessments of potential food security 
                solutions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Democratic resilience.--The strategy 
        established under subsection (a) shall include the following 
        elements related to democratic resilience:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) A strategy to increase independent 
                media and United States-supported media initiatives to 
                combat foreign malign influence in the Black Sea 
                region.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Greater mobilization of initiatives 
                spearheaded by the Global Engagement Center and the 
                United States Agency for International Development to 
                counter Russian propaganda and disinformation in the 
                Black Sea region.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Regional connectivity.--The strategy 
        established under subsection (a) shall promote regional 
        connectivity by sending high-level representatives of the 
        Department of State or other agency partners to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Black Sea region not less 
                frequently than twice a year; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) major regional fora on infrastructure 
                and energy security, including the Three Seas 
                Initiative Summit.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Identification of Necessary Programs and Resources.--
No later than 360 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
interagency shall identify any necessary program, policy, or budgetary 
resources required, by agency, to support implementation of the Black 
Sea Security Strategy for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The 
        term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
                the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on 
                Appropriations of the Senate; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
                Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on 
                Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Black sea states.--The term ``Black Sea 
        states'' means Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, and 
        Georgia.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Three seas initiative investment fund 
        countries.-- The term ``Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund 
        countries'' means Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech 
        Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, Croatia, 
        Romania, and Bulgaria.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Black Sea Security Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON BLACK SEA SECURITY.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) it is in the interest of the United States to support 
        efforts to prevent the spread of further armed conflict in 
        Europe by recognizing the Black Sea region as an arena of 
        Russian aggression;
            (2) littoral states of the Black Sea are critical in 
        countering aggression by the Government of the Russian 
        Federation and contributing to the collective security of NATO;
            (3) the repeated, illegal, unprovoked, and violent attempts 
        of the Russian Federation to expand its territory and control 
        access to the Mediterranean Sea through the Black Sea 
        constitutes a threat to the national security of the United 
        States and NATO;
            (4) the United States condemns attempts by the Russian 
        Federation to change or alter boundaries in the Black Sea 
        region by force or any means contrary to international law and 
        to impose a sphere of influence across the region;
            (5) the United States and its allies should robustly 
        counter Russia's illegitimate territorial claims on the Crimean 
        Peninsula, along Ukraine's territorial waters in the Black Sea 
        and the Sea of Azov, in the Black Sea's international waters, 
        and in the territories it is illegally occupying in Ukraine;
            (6) the United States should continue to work within NATO 
        and with NATO Allies to develop a long-term strategy to enhance 
        security, establish a permanent, sustainable presence along 
        NATO's eastern flank, and bolster the democratic resilience of 
        its allies and partners in the region;
            (7) the United States should work within NATO and with NATO 
        Allies to develop a regular, rotational maritime presence in 
        the Black Sea;
            (8) the United States should also work with the European 
        Union in coordinating a strategy to support democratic 
        initiatives and economic prosperity in the region, which 
        includes two European Union members and four European Union 
        aspirant nations;
            (9) Turkey's behavior towards some regional allies and 
        democratic states has been counterproductive and has 
        contributed to increased tensions in the region, and Turkey 
        should avoid any actions to further escalate regional tensions;
            (10) the United States should work to foster dialogue among 
        countries within the Black Sea region to improve communication 
        and intelligence sharing and increase cyber defense 
        capabilities;
            (11) countries with historic and economic ties to Russia 
        are looking to the United States and Europe to provide a 
        positive economic presence in the broader region as a 
        counterbalance to the Russian Federation's malign influence in 
        the region;
            (12) it is in the interest of the United States to support 
        and bolster the economic ties between the United States and 
        Black Sea states;
            (13) the United States should support the initiative 
        undertaken by central and eastern European states to advance 
        the Three Seas Initiative Fund to strengthen transport, energy, 
        and digital infrastructure connectivity in the region between 
        the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, and Black Sea;
            (14) there are mutually beneficial opportunities for 
        increased investment and economic expansion, particularly on 
        energy, climate, and transport infrastructure initiatives, 
        between the United States and Black Sea states and the broader 
        region;
            (15) improved economic ties between the United States and 
        the Black Sea states and the broader region can lead to a 
        strengthened strategic partnership;
            (16) the United States must seek to address the food 
        security challenges arising from disruption of Ukraine's Black 
        Sea ports, as this global challenge will have critical national 
        security implications for the United States, our partners, and 
        allies;
            (17) Turkey, in coordination with the United Nations, has 
        played an important role in alleviating global food insecurity 
        by negotiating two agreements to allow grain exports from 
        Ukrainian ports through a safe corridor in the Black Sea;
            (18) Russia has a brutal history of using hunger as a 
        weapon and must be stopped;
            (19) countering the PRC's coercive economic pursuits 
        remains an important policy imperative in order to further 
        integrate the Black Sea states into western economies and 
        improve regional stability; and
            (20) Turkey's continued delay in ratifying Sweden and 
        Finland's accession to NATO undermines the strength of the 
        alliance and inhibits the united international response to 
        Russia's unprovoked war in Ukraine.

SEC. 3. UNITED STATES POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to--
            (1) actively deter the threat of Russia's further 
        escalation in the Black Sea region and defend freedom of 
        navigation in the Black Sea to prevent the spread of further 
        armed conflict in Europe;
            (2) advocate within NATO, among NATO Allies, and within the 
        European Union to develop a long-term coordinated strategy to 
        enhance security, establish a permanent, sustainable presence 
        in the eastern flank, and bolster the democratic resilience of 
        United States allies and partners in the region;
            (3) advocate within NATO and among NATO Allies to develop a 
        regular, rotational maritime presence in the Black Sea;
            (4) support and bolster the economic ties between the 
        United States and Black Sea partners and mobilize the 
        Department of State, the Department of Defense, and other 
        relevant Federal departments and agencies by enhancing the 
        United States presence and investment in Black Sea states;
            (5) provide economic alternatives to the PRC's coercive 
        economic options that destabilize and further erode economic 
        integration of the Black Sea states;
            (6) ensure that the United States continues to support 
        Black Sea states' efforts to strengthen their democratic 
        institutions to prevent corruption and accelerate their 
        advancement into the Euroatlantic community; and
            (7) encourage the initiative undertaken by central and 
        eastern European states to advance the Three Seas Initiative to 
        strengthen transport, energy, and digital infrastructure 
        connectivity in the region between the Adriatic Sea, Baltic 
        Sea, and Black Sea.

SEC. 4. BLACK SEA SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

    (a) Black Sea Security and Development Strategy.--Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the National 
Security Council, in coordination with the Department of State, the 
Department of Defense, and other relevant Federal departments and 
agencies, is authorized to direct an interagency strategy to increase 
coordination with NATO and the European Union, deepen economic ties, 
strengthen energy security, support efforts to bolster their democratic 
resilience, and enhance security assistance with our regional partners 
in accordance with the values and interests of the United States.
    (b) Purpose and Objectives.--The initiative established under 
subsection (a) shall have the following goals and objectives:
            (1) Ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of 
        security assistance to regional partners in accordance with the 
        values and interests of the United States, prioritizing 
        assistance that will bolster defenses against hybrid warfare 
        and improve interoperability with NATO forces.
            (2) Bolstering United States support for the region's 
        energy security and integration with Europe and reducing their 
        dependence on Russia while supporting energy diversification.
            (3) Mitigating the impact of economic coercion by the 
        Russian Federation and the PRC on Black Sea states and 
        identifying new opportunities for foreign direct investment 
        from the United States and cooperating countries and the 
        enhancement of United States business ties with regional 
        partners in accordance with the values and interests of the 
        United States.
            (4) Increasing high-level engagement between the United 
        States and regional partners, and reinforcing economic growth, 
        financing quality infrastructure, and reinforcing trade with a 
        focus on improving high-level economic cooperation.
            (5) Increasing United States coordination with the European 
        Union and NATO to maximize effectiveness and minimize 
        duplication.
    (c) Activities.--
            (1) Security.--The strategy established under subsection 
        (a) should include the following elements related to security:
                    (A) A plan to increase interagency coordination on 
                the Black Sea region.
                    (B) An assessment of whether a United States-led 
                initiative with NATO allies to increase coordination, 
                presence, and regional engagement among Black Sea 
                states is advisable.
                    (C) A strategy to increase security assistance 
                toward Black Sea states, focused on Ukraine, Romania, 
                Bulgaria, Moldova, and Georgia.
                    (D) Prioritization of intelligence, surveillance, 
                and reconnaissance systems to monitor Russia's 
                operations in the Black Sea region.
                    (E) An assessment of the value of establishing a 
                joint, multinational three-star headquarters on the 
                Black Sea, responsible for planning, readiness, 
                exercises, and coordination of all Allied and partner 
                military activity in the greater Black Sea region.
                    (F) An assessment of the challenges and 
                opportunities of establishing a regular, rotational 
                NATO maritime presence in the Black Sea, including an 
                analysis of the capacity, capabilities, and commitment 
                of NATO members to create this type of mission.
                    (G) An overview of Foreign Military Financing, 
                International Military Education and Training, and 
                other United States security assistance to the region.
                    (H) A plan for communicating the changes to NATO 
                posture to the public in allied and partner countries, 
                as well as to publics in the Russian Federation and 
                Belarus.
                    (I) A plan for combating Russian disinformation and 
                propaganda in the Black Sea region, utilizing the 
                resources of the United States Government, including 
                the Global Engagement Center.
                    (J) A plan to promote greater freedom of navigation 
                to allow for greater security and economic Black Sea 
                access.
            (2) Economic prosperity.--The strategy established under 
        subsection (a) shall include the following elements related to 
        economic prosperity:
                    (A) A strategy to foster dialogue between experts 
                from the United States and from the Black Sea states on 
                economic expansion, foreign direct investment, 
                strengthening rule of law initiatives, and mitigating 
                economic coercion by Russia and the PRC.
                    (B) A strategy for all the relevant Federal 
                departments and agencies that contribute to United 
                States economic statecraft to expand their presence and 
                identify new opportunities for private investment with 
                regional partners in accordance with the values and 
                interests of the United States.
                    (C) Assessments on energy diversification, focusing 
                on the immediate need to replace energy supplies from 
                Russia, and recognizing the long-term importance of 
                broader energy diversification, including clean energy 
                initiatives.
                    (D) Assessments of potential food security 
                solutions, including sustainable, long-term 
                arrangements beyond the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
            (3) Democratic resilience.--The strategy established under 
        subsection (a) shall include the following elements related to 
        democratic resilience:
                    (A) A strategy to increase independent media and 
                United States-supported media initiatives to combat 
                foreign malign influence in the Black Sea region.
                    (B) Greater mobilization of initiatives spearheaded 
                by the Global Engagement Center and the United States 
                Agency for International Development to counter Russian 
                propaganda and disinformation in the Black Sea region.
            (4) Regional connectivity.--The strategy established under 
        subsection (a) shall promote regional connectivity by sending 
        high-level representatives of the Department of State or other 
        agency partners to--
                    (A) the Black Sea region not less frequently than 
                twice a year; and
                    (B) major regional fora on infrastructure and 
                energy security, including the Three Seas Initiative 
                Summit.
    (d) Identification of Necessary Programs and Resources.--Not later 
than 360 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
interagency shall identify any necessary program, policy, or budgetary 
resources required, by agency, to support implementation of the Black 
Sea Security Strategy for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026.
    (e) Responsibilities of Federal Departments and Agencies.--Nothing 
under this section shall be deemed to authorize the National Security 
Council to assume any of the responsibilities or authorities of the 
head of any Federal department, agency, or office, including the 
foreign affairs responsibilities and authorities of the Secretary of 
State, to oversee the implementation of programs and policies under 
this section.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
                Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on 
                Appropriations of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 
                on Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations 
                of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Black sea states.--The term ``Black Sea states'' means 
        Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia.
                                                       Calendar No. 605

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 4509

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