US Congress condemns Russia’s “aggression” against Georgia

The US Congress has adopted a resolution against Russia's aggressive actions towards its neighbours.
Agenda.ge, 05 Dec 2014 - 11:59, Tbilisi,Georgia

The United States (US) House of Representatives has unanimously approved a document which strongly condemns Moscow's actions against its neighbours Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.

The resolution, which passed with 411 votes to 10 yesterday, slammed Russia’s actions in what has been described as Russia’s "continuing political, economic, and military aggression” against Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova and the "continuing violation of their sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity”.

It called for Russia to stop supporting local separatists in eastern Ukraine and for the cancellation of Crimea’s decision to join Russia. In addition, it called on Moscow to withdraw its troops from foreign territories, which the US claimed were in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.

The resolution stated the Russian Federation invaded Georgia in August 2008, continued to station military forces in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and was implementing measures intended to progressively integrate these regions into the Russian Federation.

"The Russian Federation continues to subject the Republic of Georgia to political and military intimidation, economic coercion, and other forms of aggression in an effort to establish its control of the country and to prevent Georgia from establishing closer relations with the European Union and the United States,” it read.

In addition, Thursday’s resolution urged NATO members and US allies to suspend military cooperation with Russia, and further called on US President Barack Obama to provide Ukraine with defensive equipment and training.

When addressing the US president, the House of Congress urged him to review the readiness of US and NATO armed forces under the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE).

The lawmakers agreed that the president and the US State Department should also find ways to "distribute news and information” in Russian to countries with Russian-speaking populations, as this was currently not happening.