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119th CONGRESS
2d Session |
Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the independence of Ukraine from the former Soviet Union.
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Cramer, Ms. Collins, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Alsobrooks, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Gallego, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Rosen, Mr. King, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the independence of Ukraine from the former Soviet Union.
Whereas, on August 24, 1991, the elected Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declared the independence of Ukraine from the Soviet Union with an overwhelming majority of the vote;
Whereas, on December 1, 1991, more than 90 percent of Ukrainian citizens voted in a national referendum in support of independence, with majorities in every region;
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 deepened its relationship with NATO, 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 elections under free and fair conditions;
Whereas, on November 21, 2013, the Euromaidan protests began, resulting in the Revolution of Dignity and the removal of President Viktor Yanukovych by the Verkhovna Rada;
Whereas, on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a full-scale, unprovoked, and illegal invasion of Ukraine, following its illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its illegal occupation of parts of the Donbas region in 2014;
Whereas the United States has played a vital role in supporting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and self-defense of Ukraine in the wake of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and continued United States diplomatic leadership remains essential to advancing efforts to bring about a just and lasting peace agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation;
Whereas the integration of Ukraine’s battle-tested defense-industrial capabilities into the broader trans-Atlantic security architecture represents a return on investment for United States and NATO allied funding that extends beyond support for Ukraine's self-defense to a direct strengthening of allied security;
Whereas the international community and the United States recognize the sovereignty, independence, and full territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized 1991 borders; and
Whereas Ukraine has continued to strengthen its democracy and has prioritized closer engagement with NATO and the European Union: Now, therefore, be it
(1) recognizes the courage and resolve shown by the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of sovereignty and democracy;
(2) remembers the Euromaidan protests of November 2013 as a major step forward in the journey of Ukraine toward democracy;
(3) affirms the Crimea Declaration issued and announced by the Department of State on July 24, 2018, which rejects the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and pledges to maintain that position until the territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored;
(4) condemns the February 24, 2022, illegal and unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine and occupation of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Federation;
(5) honors and solemnly remembers the more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians and the many Ukrainian servicemembers who have lost their lives since February 24, 2022, in defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of the Russian Federation’s aggression;
(6) welcomes reports that United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff intends to make his first visit to Kyiv in the coming months and encourages President Trump’s continued efforts with international partners to achieve a just and lasting peace agreement for the Ukrainian people;
(7) encourages the United States Government to commit to a strong security guarantee for Ukraine, which is necessary for Ukraine to reach a durable peace agreement with a belligerent Russian Federation;
(8) encourages the United States Government, including the Department of Defense, to take all appropriate steps to incorporate lessons learned from Ukraine's demonstrated advances in drone warfare, counter-drone defense, and rapid defense-industrial innovation to strengthen United States military readiness and warfighting capabilities;
(9) encourages the Government of Ukraine to continue implementing crucial reforms to fight corruption, build strong and free markets, and strengthen democracy and the rule of law; and
(10) celebrates 35 years of Ukrainian independence and the strong partnership between the peoples and governments of the United States and Ukraine.