The "Defending Ukraine's Territorial Integrity Act" aims to counter Russian influence and aggression by codifying a United States policy of non-recognition of Russian claims over any occupied Ukrainian territory. This includes Crimea and the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, emphasizing the U.S. stance on Ukraine's sovereignty. A key provision of the bill prohibits the use of federal funds to provide assistance to the central government of any country that either recognizes the independence of, or establishes diplomatic relations with, Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions. This prohibition also applies to countries taking affirmative steps to support Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory. The Secretary of State is mandated to publish a list of such governments and may waive the prohibition if deemed to be in the national interest of the United States , with a required justification to Congress.