Bill > HJRes77

This resolution establishes the United States' official policy of categorically rejecting Russia's territorial claims over Ukrainian lands, specifically in regions like Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. The resolution reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity as defined by its internationally recognized borders from 1991, and explicitly condemns Russia's actions since 2014 as violations of the United Nations Charter and international law. Drawing on the legal principle of "ex injuria jus non oritur" (which means illegal acts do not create legal rights), the resolution declares that the U.S. government will not recognize, nor take any actions that could be interpreted as recognizing, Russia's claims to these occupied Ukrainian territories. The resolution is rooted in historical precedent, such as the Welles Declaration of 1940, and emphasizes that Ukraine's borders remain Ukrainian regardless of military aggression, coercion, or political manipulation.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-joint-resolution/77/all-info