U.S. House Resolution ‘Encourages’ Georgia’s Democratic Aspirations

Congressman Steve Cohen (Dem.), a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), and Congressman John Shimkus (Rep.), Co-Chair of the House Baltic Caucus, introduced a bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives on April 6 expressing strong support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the countries of Eastern Europe, including Georgia.

According to the resolution, “Russia’s aggressive actions against neighboring members” of the NATO Alliance and nearby NATO partner countries, “including its many violations of Baltic airspace, occupation of Georgian territory in 2008, annexation of Crimea in 2014, and continued threats to Moldovan territorial integrity and sovereignty,” violates OSCE commitments and contributes to Europe’s instability.

“The House of Representatives considers it essential for the United States to maintain and increase political, economic, and security support for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe,” the resolution reads.

The House of Representatives “supports and encourages the democratic aspirations of the people of all countries concerned, including Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova” and speaks in favor of “keeping the door to NATO membership open to those countries that are eligible to join the Alliance and meet all the necessary requirements for membership.”

Congressman Steve Cohen, who co-sponsored the resolution, stated that “many former-Soviet Eastern European countries have undertaken considerable political and economic reforms necessary to achieve aspirations for European integration, yet Russia has threatened the sovereignty of these nations.”

“In these uncertain times, our friends in Eastern Europe must not be left behind.” “Our bipartisan resolution reaffirms the importance of harmony and stability rather than war and conflict and acknowledges NATO’s pivotal role in achieving such goals. The United States must stand alongside NATO and our Eastern European allies just as they have done for us in the Western Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere,” he added.

The resolution, which was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 35 lawmakers.

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