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119th CONGRESS
1st Session |
Condemning Russian incursions into NATO territory and reaffirming Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Thune, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Risch, Mr. Reed, Ms. Murkowski, and Mr. Sullivan) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
Condemning Russian incursions into NATO territory and reaffirming Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Whereas, in February 2014, Russia launched an unprovoked military assault on Ukraine, seizing Crimea and considerable territory in the eastern part of the country;
Whereas, on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine designed to topple its democratically elected government and install a puppet regime, an assault that was repelled but which continues unabated today;
Whereas Russia has undertaken a sustained campaign of sabotage, arson, intimidation, and assassination across member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Europe;
Whereas, on September 9, 2025, at least 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, some reaching more than 100 miles into Polish territory;
Whereas, on September 14, 2025, at least one Russian drone entered Romanian airspace;
Whereas, on September 19, three Russian MIG–31 fighter jets crossed into Estonian airspace, marking the fourth such Russian incursion in 2025;
Whereas, on September 22, 2025, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said at a meeting of the Security Council, “As we said nine days ago, the United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these airspace violations. I want to take this first opportunity to repeat and to emphasize: The United States and our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory.”; and
Whereas, among nine such encounters this year, on September 24, 2025, United States military aircraft intercepted two Russian Tu–95 long-range strategic bombers and two Su–35 fighter jets flying in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone: Now, therefore, be it
(1) condemns Russian incursions into the territory and airspace of NATO member countries;
(2) condemns Russia’s continued assault on Ukraine, kidnapping of Ukrainian children, and refusal to negotiate an end to the war it started; and
(3) reaffirms NATO’s article 5 commitment to collective self-defense.