; (2) littoral states of the Black Sea are critical in countering aggression by the Government of the Russian Federation and contributing to the collective security of NATO; (3) the repeated, illegal, unprovoked, and violent attempts of the Russian Federation to expand its territory and control access to the Mediterranean Sea through the Black Sea constitutes a threat to the national security of the United States and NATO; (4) the United States condemns attempts by the Russian Federation to change or alter boundaries in the Black Sea region by force or any means contrary to international law and to impose a sphere of influence across the region; (5) the United States condemns Russia’s illegitimate territorial claims, including those on the Crimean Peninsula, along Ukraine’s territorial waters in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, in the Black Sea’s international waters, and in the territories it is illegally occupying in Ukraine; (6) the United States should continue to work within NATO and with NATO allies to develop a long-term strategy to enhance security, establish a permanent, sustainable presence along NATO's eastern flank, and bolster the democratic resilience of its allies and partners in the region; (7) the United States should consider whether it should work within NATO and with NATO allies to develop a regular, rotational maritime presence in the Black Sea; (8) the United States should work with the European Union on coordinating a strategy to support democratic initiatives and economic prosperity in the region, which includes 2 European Union members and 4 European Union aspirant nations; (9) the United States should work to foster dialogue among countries within the Black Sea region to improve communication and intelligence sharing and increase cyber defense capabilities