A resolution to support an independent and democratic Ukraine against any further Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.

Bill: 117-sres-480
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2021-12-16
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances

Collective security

Conflicts and wars

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Europe

Foreign aid and international relief

International law and treaties

Military assistance, sales, and agreements

Military operations and strategy

Russia

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status

Ukraine
Latest action: action_date: 2021-12-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S9264-9265)

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-12-16
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution denounces the current Russian military buildup on the Ukraine border as provocative and contrary to established international norms. It also reaffirms the unwavering support of the United States for a secure, democratic, and independent Ukraine. </p>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 480 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 16, 2021 Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Cornyn , Mr. Brown , Mr. Blumenthal , Ms. Klobuchar , Mr. Graham , Mr. Portman , Ms. Ernst , Mr. Cardin , Mr. Casey , Mr. Barrasso , Mr. Murphy , Mrs. Shaheen , and Mr. Rubio ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION To support an independent and democratic Ukraine against any further Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.

Whereas, on August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian parliament voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union and set December 1, 1991, for a national independence referendum; Whereas, on December 1, 1991, more than 90 percent of Ukrainians voting in the referendum supported independence; Whereas, by December 25, 1991, the United States joined more than 20 countries, including Russia, in recognizing Ukrainian independence; Whereas the newly independent Ukraine, while rich in natural resources and human talent, also inherited endemic corruption, an aging Soviet infrastructure, government mismanagement, and significant economic challenges; Whereas the newly independent Ukraine also inherited one of the world’s largest nuclear weapons arsenals; Whereas, on December 5, 1994, Ukraine joined the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom in signing the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, in which it agreed to remove all nuclear weapons from its territory in exchange for assurance that Russia would respect its sovereignty; Whereas, on February 8, 1994, Ukraine was the first member state of the Commonwealth of Independent States to join the Partnership for Peace program of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and has since been recognized as an Enhanced Opportunities Partner; Whereas, on November 22, 2004, Ukrainians peacefully took to the streets in protest of a fraudulent presidential election, beginning the Orange Revolution and resulting in new free and fair elections; Whereas, on November 21, 2013, peaceful protests began on Independence Square (Maidan) in Kyiv against the decision by then-President Viktor Yanukovych to suspend signing the Ukraine-European Union (EU) Association Agreement and instead pursue closer ties with the Russian Federation; Whereas the Maidan protests quickly drew thousands of people and broadened to become a general demonstration in support of Ukraine’s integration with the European Union and against widespread Yanukovych regime corruption; Whereas, from February 18–20, 2014, an estimated 104 people were killed and 2,500 injured as a result of violent crackdowns by authorities against protesters; Whereas, beginning February 20, 2014, the Russian Federation clandestinely invaded Ukraine, with Russian troops claiming to be Ukrainian separatists, and since then have militarily occupied the regions of Crimea and Donbas; Whereas, on February 22, 2014, and following months of protests, the Ukrainian Parliament voted to remove President Yanukovych and hold early presidential election in May; Whereas, on May 25, 2014, President Petro Poroshenko was elected on a message of strengthening Ukraine's territorial integrity, negotiating with Russia, and strengthening ties with Europe; Whereas, on July 17, 2014, Russian-backed separatists shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine with Russian missiles, killing all 298 people on board; Whereas, on September 5, 2014, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) signed the Minsk Protocol aimed at ending the conflict, which the Russian Federation continued to violate; Whereas, on February 12, 2015, a new package of measures to end the conflict in Ukraine was signed, known as Minsk II, provisions of which have still not yet been fully implemented; Whereas at least 14,000 Ukrainians have been killed defending their homeland and millions more displaced since the conflict with Russia began; Whereas, on September 1, 2017, the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement came into force; Whereas, on April 21, 2019, President Volodymyr Zelensnky was elected on a platform of fighting corruption and restarting peace talks with Russian-backed separatists; Whereas, on July 16, 2019, the United States Senate unanimously passed S. Res. 74 (116th Congress), marking the fifth anniversary of Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity by honoring the bravery, determination, and sacrifice of the people of Ukraine during and since the Revolution, and condemning continued Russian aggression against Ukraine; Whereas, in early and again in late 2021, Russia deployed a massive troop and weapons buildup on the border with Ukraine; Whereas, on December 1, 2021, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that if Russia decides to once again use force against Ukraine, then we have made it clear … during the NATO Foreign Minister meeting in Latvia today that Russia will then have to pay a high price; there will be serious consequences for Russia … And that's a clear message from NATO. ; Whereas, on December 7, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that the West would impose strong economic and other measures if Russia invades Ukraine; and Whereas, on December 12, 2021, at a meeting in Liverpool, delegates of the Group of Seven (G7) released a joint statement saying, Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response … We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the right of any sovereign state to determine its own future. : Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) denounces the current Russian military buildup on the Ukraine boarder as provocative, reckless, and contrary to established international norms; (2) reaffirms unwavering United States support for a secure, democratic, and independent Ukraine free to choose its own leaders and future; (3) reaffirms unwavering United States and NATO commitment to support the continuing efforts of the Government of Ukraine to restore its territorial integrity by providing consistent political and diplomatic support and additional lethal and non-lethal security assistance to strengthen the defense capabilities of Ukraine on land and sea and in the air; and (4) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to abide by commitments agreed to in 2014 and 2015 in the Minsk agreements.