Senate Introduces "Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act Of 2022"

On January 12, 2022, Democratic Senator Robert Menendez introduced the Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act of 2022 (S.3488), with 38 cosponsors. On the same day, House Republicans submitted a similar bill, illustrating a significant amount of bipartisan support for the issue. The intent of S.3488 is to deter a Russian “escalation” of hostilities in Ukraine through expedited financial assistance and procurement of defense articles and the imposition of sanctions against Russian officials, as well as individuals and entities involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, including Russian financial institutions.

In current form, S.3488 would authorize funding of more than $500 million and other assistance to Ukraine, including expedited procurement of defense articles and services, military training, and resources to counter misinformation in the media. Furthermore, S.3488 would require the President to make findings regarding whether Russia has “escalated” hostilities with