; Whereas the United States Government has committed over $600,000,000 in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014; Whereas Congress has authorized the provision of defensive lethal assistance to Ukraine in the Ukraine Freedom Support Act ( Public Law 113–272 ), the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 ( Public Law 114–92 ), and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 ( Public Law 114–328 ); Whereas, in 2014, President Barack Obama issued Executive Orders 13660, 13661, 13662, and 13685, which imposed sanctions blocking property of certain persons and prohibiting transactions with respect to the Crimea Region of Ukraine as a result of Russia’s illegal annexation and military aggression in Ukraine; Whereas NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated on November 21, 2016, that NATO will never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea, and [NATO] continue[s] supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine ; Whereas, on February 3, 2017, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley stated, Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control over the peninsula to Ukraine. ; Whereas, on February 16, 2017, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated, As we search for new common ground we expect Russia to honor its commitment to the Minsk agreements and work to de-escalate violence in Ukraine. ; Whereas, on March 13, 2017, the European Union extended sanctions against Russian individuals and entities imposed because of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation; Whereas United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on February 21, 2017, stated that the United Nations remains committed to supporting the peaceful resolution of the conflict in a manner that fully upholds the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine