U.S. approves bill prohibiting recognition of Crimea as part of Russia

Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives have unanimously approved a bill that prohibits the U.S. government from recognizing Crimea as part of Russia.

This is stated in a markup summary of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

"By unanimous consent, the measures [in particular, H. R. 596 'To prohibit United States Government recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea'] were ordered favorably reported, as amended, to the House," the document says.

The bill itself prohibits any federal agency from taking any action or extending any assistance that recognizes or implies recognition of the de jure or de facto sovereignty of the Russian Federation over Crimea, its airspace, or its territorial waters.

At the same time, the document states that the U.S. president may waive such prohibitions "if the President determines that it is vital to the national security interests of the United States to do so."

The bill must be approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate. The document will then be sent to the U.S. president for signature.