IV 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 833 In the House of Representatives, U. S., April 27, 2022 RESOLUTION A resolution reaffirming support for strong United States and Moldova relations, Moldova’s democracy, and its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Whereas the Republic of Moldova gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991; Whereas the United States established diplomatic relations with Moldova on February 18, 1992, and the 2 countries have since enjoyed expanded and positive relations; Whereas United States assistance to Moldova and the Strategic Dialogue between the United States and Moldova, which was launched on March 3, 2014, has strengthened the relationship between the 2 countries and focused on advancing shared interests in democracy, good governance, rule of law, anticorruption, energy independence, economic development, and security cooperation; Whereas Congress and State and local communities have a history of engaging with Moldovan young leaders, civil society, and Members of Parliament through official exchanges; Whereas Moldova ratified an association agreement containing comprehensive free trade provisions with the European Union in 2014 and the agreement became fully effective in July 2016; Whereas Moldova’s main trading partner is the European Union; Whereas Moldova is a member of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership; Whereas since the Russian Federation’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Moldova has opened its border to refugees fleeing Ukraine; Whereas, on March 3, 2022, Moldova submitted an application to become a member of the European Union; Whereas the Moldovan 2020 Presidential and 2021 parliamentary elections resulted in a government with a mandate to fight corruption, reinvigorate economic reforms, enhance judicial independence, revitalize European integration efforts, and strengthen relations with the United States; Whereas, in November 2020, Moldova elected its first female President, Maia Sandu, and since August 6, 2021, women serve as both Moldova’s head of state and head of government; Whereas according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the most recent elections were well administered, competitive and fundamental freedoms were largely respected ; Whereas in a judgment in 2004, the European Court of Human Rights found that Moldova’s separatist region of Transnistria was created with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation and considered it under the effective authority or at least decisive influence of the Kremlin; Whereas the United States supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova and on that basis participates as an observer in the 5+2 negotiations to find a comprehensive settlement that will provide a special status for Transnistria within Moldova’s internationally recognized borders; Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation maintains a contingent of military forces and a stockpile of military equipment and ammunition within the Transnistrian region constituting an occupation of Moldovan territory and a violation of Moldova’s territorial sovereignty; Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission to Moldova, and the Government of Moldova have called upon the Kremlin to remove its troops from the territory of Moldova; Whereas, in July 2017, the Moldovan Parliament adopted a declaration calling on the Kremlin to withdraw its troops from Moldova; Whereas, on September 22, 2021, Moldovan President Maia Sandu addressed the United Nations General Assembly and called for the Kremlin to withdraw its troops from the Transnistrian region; Whereas Moldova has been a valued and reliable partner in promoting global security by participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic, Kosovo, and South Sudan, supporting United States efforts to increase international cooperation in combating terrorism, and providing demining units and postconflict humanitarian assistance in Iraq; Whereas, since 1996, Moldova’s Armed Forces have participated in the United States National Guard State Partnership Program as a partner to the North Carolina National Guard, which led to the creation of the Moldova-North Carolina Bilateral Partnership, which has facilitated cooperation in the areas of civil emergency operations, expansion of markets, coordination of humanitarian efforts and cultural, scientific, and academic exchanges; Whereas Moldova cooperates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through the Partnership for Peace program, including participation in the Defense and Related Security Capacity Building Initiative, a flagship defense reform partnership focused on reforming and modernizing Moldova’s Armed Forces to improve expertise, interoperability, and peacekeeping capabilities; and Whereas, on September 21, 2021, President Biden addressed the 76th United Nations General Assembly stating that the democratic world lives in the proud Moldovans who helped deliver a landslide victory for the forces of democracy, with a mandate to fight graft, to build a more inclusive economy : Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) urges the United States Government, European Union, and other transatlantic partners to increase cooperation, coordination, and support for the Republic of Moldova’s democratic development, economic and energy independence, and efforts to root out corruption; (2) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Moldova and the inviolability of its borders; (3) affirms Moldova’s sovereign right to determine its own partnerships free of external coercion and pressure, and affirms Moldova’s right to associate with the European Union or any regional organization; (4) encourages increased activity related to the Strategic Dialogue as a means to strengthen relations between Moldova and the United States; (5) supports the Joint Commercial Commission between the United States and Moldova to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment relationship between the 2 nations and improve Moldova’s investment climate; (6) encourages the United States Government to engage at a leadership level to enhance United States partnerships with the Government of Moldova and civil society organizations; (7) encourages the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, the Chief Executive Officer of the Development Finance Corporation, the Secretary of Energy, and the United States Trade Representative to increase and focus assistance on justice sector reform, strengthening democratic institutions, promoting an open and transparent government, fostering indigenous independent media and an open information environment, increasing domestic energy development, diversification of energy supplies and energy efficiency, improving transport and communication infrastructure, as well as the promotion of trade and investment opportunities, along with inclusive economic growth focusing on the rural areas beyond the capital; (8) commends Moldova’s efforts to take in Ukrainian refugees and urges increased assistance by the United States, European Union, and other allies and partners to Moldova to assist with those efforts; (9) reaffirms the importance of free, fair, and transparent elections in Moldova; (10) urges the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media, and other heads of Federal departments and agencies to continue to work with the Government of Moldova and Moldovan civil society to strengthen independent media and combat Russian disinformation and propaganda; (11) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to fulfill its commitments made at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Istanbul summit in 1999, and to withdraw its military forces and munitions from within the internationally recognized territory of Moldova; (12) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to refrain from military and economic threats to Moldova and cease any and all actions that support the so-called authorities in the separatist region of Transnistria; (13) supports a results-oriented 5+2 process as a constructive format for resolving the Transnistria conflict through a comprehensive settlement that secures Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; and (14) affirms that lasting stability and security in Moldova is in the strategic interest of the United States and that these can only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova and all European countries are respected.

Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk.