03/15/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/15/2023 13:52
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation that would direct the Administration to develop a strategy toward the Black Sea region, which has increasingly become a critical inflection point for European and global security amid Vladimir Putin's unprovoked war in Ukraine. U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Cornyn (R-TX) are all original cosponsors of the bill.
"Russia's recent provocation against a U.S. drone in the Black Sea underscores the need for a revamped strategy in the Black Sea region. We cannot leave it up to Putin-who chose to invade Ukraine and pursue other forms of aggression in the region-to define the rules of the Black Sea. It's critical that the Biden Administration develops a robust Black Sea strategy to strengthen the coordination between the U.S., NATO, and our Black Sea partners," said Senator Romney.
"As Vladimir Putin wages war in Ukraine, he has already proven his ambitions to extend Russia's malign influence to the Black Sea region," said Senator Shaheen. "I've met with our partners in the region and they echo the importance of developing a U.S. strategy toward the Black Sea so we can strengthen our alliances and enhance economic relations that are pivotal to staving off an increasingly belligerent Putin. As the U.S. continues to aid our Ukrainian partners on the frontlines, we need to look ahead and make investments in vulnerable areas where Russia is actively sowing discord and hoping to turn to next. Our bipartisan bill would deliver that strategy and strengthen the relationships in the region that we need to defend our values and our security."
Specifically, the Romney-Shaheen legislation would do the following:
Background:
Text of the legislation is available here.