House Resolution Seeks Bold Ukraine Victory Terms

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers who are members of the Helsinki Commission introduced a resolution Tuesday that calls on the U.S. to support an outright victory by Ukraine in its war against Russia’s invasion.

The Helsinki Commission is an independent panel created by Congress in 1975. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, it has advanced U.S. national security and national interests by promoting human rights, military security, and economic cooperation in 57 countries.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., the commission’s chair, and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., its ranking member, unveiled the Ukraine Victory Resolution, which affirms U.S. policy that Ukraine prevails against Russia and that it returns to its “internationally recognized 1991 borders” after the breakup of the Soviet Union, meaning Ukraine would regain Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

It also calls for Ukraine to get NATO membership, something Russia could see as a major provocation, and that the U.S. and its allies must make sure Russia pays for reparations and reconstruction in Ukraine, and Russian officials are prosecuted for war crimes.

“Ukrainian victory is the only path to peace,” Wilson said in a news release. “We must ensure that Ukraine is well-armed and outfitted so that the upcoming counteroffensive can meet expectations and Ukraine can win the war as quickly as possible.

“Ukrainian victory is good for U.S. national security and economic stability, denies [Russian President Vladimir] Putin any reward for its invasion, and deters China and Iran. Ukraine’s existence depends on victory.”

The resolution will be processed through the House Foreign Affairs Committee before it goes to a full floor vote. A similar version is being worked on in the Senate. Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, R-Texas, is a supporter of Ukraine and has worked in trying to expose alleged war crimes committed by Russia.

It is unknown whether the resolution could pass a full house vote. Liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans have indicated they are becoming weary with the scope of the U.S.’s support for Ukraine, urging President Joe Biden to negotiate a peace settlement.