Ukraine Support Act - Wikipedia

Jump to content

Search

Search

Donate

Create account

Log in

Personal tools

Donate

Create account

Log in

Ukraine Support Act

1 language

Українська

Edit links

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Proposed act of American congress

Ukraine Support ActLong titleTo support the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for other purposes.Announced inthe 113th United States CongressSponsored byRep. Edward R. Royce (R, CA-39)Number of co-sponsors1CodificationU.S.C. sections affected8 U.S.C. § 1101, 50 U.S.C. § 1701, 22 U.S.C. § 2151, 22 U.S.C. § 2763, 50 U.S.C. § 1705, and others.Agencies affectedOverseas Private Investment Corporation, Broadcasting Board of Governors, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, United States House of Representatives, Executive Office of the President, United States Congress, United States Department of State, United States Department of the Treasury, United States Department of Defense, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Department of Homeland SecurityAuthorizations of appropriations$68 million; offset by removing $70 million from another programLegislative historyIntroduced in the House as H.R. 4278 by Rep. Edward R. Royce (R, CA-39) on March 21, 2014<br>Committee consideration by United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, United States House Committee on the Judiciary

The Ukraine Support Act (H.R. 4278) was a proposed act of the United States Congress that would have clarified U.S. policy to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a democratic Ukraine, and in condemning Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.[1] The bill would offer loan guarantees, various types of aid, and place sanctions on people who were "responsible for or engaged in actions that undermine democratic processes in Ukraine or that threaten its peace or territorial integrity, acts of significant corruption in Ukraine, or the commission of serious human rights abuses."[1][2]

The bill was introduced into the United States House of Representatives during the 113th United States Congress. The contents of the bill were similar to the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act of 2014 which ultimately passed congress and was signed by president Barack Obama.

Background<br>[edit]

Main articles: Revolution of Dignity, Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and Russo-Ukrainian War

The 2014 Ukrainian revolution[3][4] began with civil unrest in Kyiv, Ukraine, as part of Ukraine's ongoing Euromaidan protest movement against the government.[5] The conflict escalated rapidly, leading to the downfall of the government of President Viktor Yanukovych and the setting up of a new government to replace it within a few days.[3] Yanukovych fled to Russia,[6] and is wanted in Ukraine for the killing of protesters.[7] The conflict continued with the 2014 crisis in Crimea when Russian forces seized control of the Crimea region.[8]

The takeover of Crimea by Russia began in late February 2014 in the aftermath of the Ukrainian Revolution, when—after months of protests by Euromaidan and days of violent clashes between protesters and police in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv—the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, fled the capital on February 21.[9] The Verkhovna Rada (the parliament of Ukraine) subsequently voted unanimously to impeach Yanukovych.[10][11] This was followed by the interim appointment of the Yatsenyuk Government, as well as the appointment of a new Acting President of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said President Yanukovych was illegally impeached and that Russia continues to regard him as Ukraine's legitimate president.[12][a] Russia describes the Yatsenyk government as "self-proclaimed" and the events in Kyiv as a "coup d'état".[12][b][c][d] Yanukovych supporters point out that not enough members of the parliament were present for the vote to reach the three-fourths majority required to impeach a President according to the Constitution of Ukraine.[17][18]

Beginning on February 26, pro-Russian forces gradually took control of the Crimean peninsula. Russia claimed that the uniformed men were local self-defense forces, but they are generally claimed in Western media to be Russian military personnel without insignia.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]

On February 28, President Barack Obama's statement was released warning Russia not to intervene in Crimea. The statement said that President Obama is "deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of Ukraine." It added that "any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilizing, which is not in the interest of Ukraine, Russia, or Europe" and that it would be "a clear violation of Russia's commitment to respect the independence and sovereignty and borders of Ukraine, and of international...