U.S. Senate passes Ukraine defence support

Photo: Reuters

The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed bill S.2828 to impose sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation, to provide additional assistance to Ukraine, and for other purposes (the short title as introduced: the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014).

«The Senate passed Calendar № 573, S.2828, with Menendez/Corker substitute amendment, by voice vote,» an official announcement on the U.S. Senate’s website reads.

The bill was passed by unanimous consent.

«[The] Senate unanimously passes Corker legislation to support Ukraine, expand sanctions against Russia,» U.S. Senator Bob Corker wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

«In addition to granting lethal military and non-military assistance and expanding sanctions against Russia, the Ukraine Freedom Support Act also would provide Ukraine with energy, defense sector, and civil society assistance, and expand broadcasting programs to counter Russian propaganda in countries of the former Soviet Union,» a press release on the official website of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations reads.

The Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 was introduced by Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Ranking Member Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) on September 16, 2014.

As previously reported, the bill proposed applying sanctions against Russia’s Rosoboronexport and other Russian defense firms that contribute to instability in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Syria; companies worldwide that make significant investments in particular unconventional Russian crude oil energy projects; and Gazprom, if it is determined that Gazprom is withholding significant natural gas supplies from member countries of NATO or further withholds such supplies from countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, or Moldova.

After bill S.2828 is approved by the House of Representatives in identical form, it will be presented to U.S. President Barack Obama.