A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on when the economic relationship between the United States and the Russian Federation should be considered to return to the level of that relationship before the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that began on February 24, 2022, and on the actions that should be taken at that time.

Bill: 117-sres-558
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2022-03-28
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances

Arms control and nonproliferation

Collective security

Computer security and identity theft

Conflicts and wars

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Detention of persons

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Europe

European Union

Evidence and witnesses

Government information and archives

Human rights

International law and treaties

International organizations and cooperation

Military operations and strategy

Militias and paramilitary groups

Protest and dissent

Reconstruction and stabilization

Russia

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status

Ukraine

United Nations

War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
Latest action: action_date: 2022-03-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-03-28
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that the economic relationship between the United States and Russia should return to the relationship that existed between such countries before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, subject to certain conditions.</p> <p>The resolution also encourages</p> <li> the President to organize and lead a presidential summit on Eastern European peace and security with the head of the successor government of Russia;</li> <li>the Senate to establish a special, interdisciplinary commission to make recommendations for the reimagination of a post-war, long-term collective security strategy for Europe; and </li> <li> the U.S. government to call on the Russian government to release all political prisoners.</li>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 558 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 28, 2022 Mr. Cassidy submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate on when the economic relationship between the United States and the Russian Federation should be considered to return to the level of that relationship before the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that began on February 24, 2022, and on the actions that should be taken at that time.

Whereas the United States has a responsibility to uphold the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights across the globe; Whereas there are several universal declarations promoting human rights, laws of war, and upholding the dignity of individuals; Whereas the preamble to the United Nations Charter states that member countries reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights [and] in the dignity and worth of the human person ; Whereas the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms ; Whereas the Russian Federation, as the former Union of Soviet Socialists Republics, joined as an original member of the United Nations on October 24, 1945, and as such has a duty to abide by the conditions of the United Nations Charter; Whereas President Vladimir Putin, members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, and President Putin's military commanders have severely undermined the international rule of law through their various actions; Whereas President Vladimir Putin violated the sovereignty of Ukraine and used military force to seize control and unlawfully occupy Crimea and eastern Ukraine, indiscriminately targeting and killing thousands of innocent civilians since 2014; Whereas rebel forces supported by the Russian Federation were deemed responsible for a missile attack on January 24, 2015, in Mariupol, Ukraine, that indiscriminately targeted civilians, resulting in the death of at least 30 people and injuring many more; Whereas intelligence assessments have concluded Vladimir Putin and his regime have destroyed the rule of law in the Russian Federation and engaged in countless crimes against humanity, including ordering the poisoning of Alexi Navalny, the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, and the false imprisonment and torture ultimately leading to the death of Sergei Magnitsky; Whereas Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin and the Security Council of the Russian Federation, initiated an unprovoked war against Ukraine based on false security claims and threats in February 2022; Whereas President Vladimir Putin has allegedly committed war crimes in his reckless quest to decimate Ukraine and the people of Ukraine, including civilians, children, and women; Whereas the people of the Russian Federation are suffering economic hardship from global sanctions as a direct result of President Vladimir Putin’s erratic, illogical, and irrational actions; Whereas the United States Government seeks the most productive relationship possible with the people of the Russian Federation for the sake of their own liberty and prosperity; and Whereas the United States Government should use its voice, vote, and influence to pursue war crimes allegations against Vladimir Putin and his military commanders in international institutions of which it is a member and encourage other allies and partners to do the same: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the Senate that— (1) the economic relationship between the United States and the Russian Federation should be considered to return to the level of that relationship before the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation that began on February 24, 2022, only when— (A) the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and proxies of such forces withdraw from all territory of Ukraine such forces or proxies have occupied since February 24, 2022, and that withdrawal is verified by a supervision mission of the United Nations in Ukraine; (B) the Government of the Russian Federation has ceased engaging in cyberattacks and disseminating anti-Ukraine, pro-Russian Federation propaganda and has committed to not engaging in such attacks or disseminating such propaganda in the future; and (C) a free and fair election is held in the Russian Federation, as determined by the Secretary of State; (2) as soon as possible after the date of agreement to this resolution— (A) the President should direct the United States Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to immediately promote the establishment of an international justice mechanism for alleged war crimes and other alleged crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes committed during the period of conflict in Ukraine; (B) in the event that the United Nations is unable or unwilling to establish a mechanism described in subparagraph (A), the President should convoke and convene the world’s democracies for the purposes of establishing a regional or international justice mechanism for crimes described in that subparagraph; (C) in working with other countries to establish such a regional or international justice mechanism, the United States should assist all partners in that effort to develop judicial procedures that enable the fair and open prosecution of persons accused of perpetrating such crimes; (D) the United States should encourage, support, and collect any and all information that can be supplied to a justice mechanism described in subparagraph (A) or (B) for use as evidence to support the indictment and trial of any persons accused of crimes described in subparagraph (A), including the crime of aggression in Ukraine, as an immediate priority; and (E) the United States should urge all other interested countries to apprehend and deliver into the custody of a justice mechanism described in subparagraph (A) or (B) persons indicted for crimes described in subparagraph (A) and urge all interested countries to provide any and all data and information pertaining to such crimes to that mechanism; and (3) when the economic relationship between the United States and the Russian Federation returns to the level of that relationship before the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, as described in paragraph (1)— (A) the President should organize and lead a presidential summit on Eastern European peace and security with the head of the successor Government of the Russian Federation, which should include topics such as arms control and existing international fora such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Minsk Group, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; (B) the Secretary of State should— (i) begin a formal, consultative process with the United Nations Secretary General and all member countries of the United Nations to reimagine the United Nations Security Council; and (ii) initiate talks with all Western allies regarding the reconstruction of Ukraine and humanitarian support to those affected by the war waged by President Vladimir Putin; (C) the Senate should establish a special, interdisciplinary commission to make recommendations for the reimagination of a post-war, long-term collective security strategy for Europe, which includes consideration of the security concerns of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and other non-treaty partners; and (D) the United States Government should call on the successor Government of the Russian Federation to release all political prisoners held under the authority of the Russian Federation.