Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced that Windy City will temporarily suspend its program for a twin city with Moscow to show support for Ukrainians.
Lightfoot, 59, said Tuesday she had asked World Business Chicago, an economic development agency, to “cut off Chicago’s ties with Moscow” in light of Vladimir Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine last week.
“While this is not a light-hearted decision, we must send an unequivocal message: we strongly condemn all the actions of the Putin regime,” she said on Tuesday. “This suspension will be in place until the end of hostilities against Ukraine, and the Putin regime will be held accountable for its crimes. We must continue to support freedom-loving people everywhere and ordinary Russians in their desire to be free. ”
The current mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, 63, has not publicly commented on the suspension of the program from Chicago.
Chicago has been a sister city of Moscow since 1997. The Wind City is also a sister city to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, since 1991 and 27 others.
Lori Lightfoot, 59, said on Tuesday that she had asked World Business Chicago, “Economic Development Agency,” “to cut off Chicago’s ties with Moscow” in light of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last week.
The current mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, 63, has not publicly commented on the suspension of the program from Chicago. Moscow is one of 29 cities partnering with Chicago, including Kyiv
“Although this is not a light-hearted decision, we must send an unequivocal message: we strongly condemn all the actions of the Putin regime,” she said on Tuesday.
Lightfoot’s announcement came after 33 city council members proposed repealing the agreement and called on other US cities to follow suit.
The proposal was led by Raymond Lopez, of the 15th ward. Writing on Twitter: “Today I join 32 of my colleagues in the Municipal Council in calling for the revocation of the status of Moscow’s brothers and sisters due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
“We are united with those who work to protect freedom and democracy. Other American cities must follow our example now!
The TV tower in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was hit by a Russian strike on Tuesday
A burned-out car can be seen on the street after a rocket fired by Russian invaders struck near the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building on Svoboda Square on Tuesday.
Hundreds gather at Kyiv train station to try to get out of town with news of Russian convoys approaching Kyiv
The proposal also calls for the program to be “canceled” by any partner city that supports Russia.
Chicago Sister Cities International issued a statement saying: “Chicago is home to a large and proud Ukrainian American community. We stand in solidarity with Ukrainians here and around the world in support of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Chicago and Kyiv have been twin cities since 1991, the same year that Ukraine gained its independence. Since then, Chicago and Kyiv have shared a long history of friendship and cooperation. Today, Chicago is home to a large and proud Ukrainian American community.
“Since 1997, Chicago and Moscow have also been twin cities. “The Kiev and Moscow committees of the CSCI are saddened by the current events, condemn the acts of aggression against Ukraine and are committed to promoting understanding through diplomacy between citizens,” the statement said.
The twin city program began in 1991, when then-Mayor Richard M. Daly signed the executive order. Other cities include Athens, Greece; Paris, France; Birmingham, UK; Mexico City, Mexico; Milan, Italy; and more.
Chicago Sister Cities International also issued a statement saying: “Chicago is home to a large and proud Ukrainian American community. We stand in solidarity with Ukrainians here and around the world in support of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
City Councilman Raymond Lopez – who first proposed repealing the program – encouraged other “American cities” to follow suit
In addition, both cities are facing rising crime rates, with Chicago reporting a total of 206,000 in the city in 2021. It was the deadliest year in decades for Windy City with nearly 800 homicides – the most since 1996.
Moscow reported only 143,000 total crimes last year, by comparison, according to Statistica.
Chicago is not the only one pulling support from Russia. States such as New Hampshire, Utah, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio have withdrawn sales of Russian vodka from the shelves of state liquor stores.
Texas has also called on CEOs of interest groups representing restaurants, packaging companies and retailers to eliminate Russian products. And New York signed an executive order to withdraw all money from Russian investments.
Technology giant Apple has halted all product sales in Russia in response to the Russian invasion.
The move comes after Mikhail Fedorov, Ukraine’s digital minister, sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook asking him to suspend all sales and services in Russia, including the App Store.
The brothers of Chicago
- Accra, Greece
- Amman, Jordan
- Athens, Greece
- Belgrade Serbia
- Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Bogota, Colombia
- Busan, Republic of Korea
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Delhi, India
- Durban, South Africa
- Galway, Ireland
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Hamburg, Germany
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- Lahore, Pakistan
- Lucerne, Switzerland
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Milan, Italy
- Moscow, Russia (discontinued)
- Osaka, Japan
- Paris, France
- Petah Pumpkin, Israel
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Shanghai, China
- Shenyang, China
- Sydney, Australia
- Toronto, Canada
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- Warsaw, Poland
Source: Chicago Sister City
Apple confirmed on Tuesday that it sought to halt Russian sales, which Fedorov said he hoped would infuriate younger Russians and motivate them to protest the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Apple said in a statement: “We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and we are with all the people who are suffering as a result of the violence.”
“We support the humanitarian effort, provide assistance for the unfolding refugee crisis and do everything we can to support our teams in the region,” Apple said in a statement.
The company outlined a number of actions in response to the invasion, including stopping all exports in its sales channels in the country.
Apple Pay and other services are limited, the company said.
Russian state media, RT News and Sputnik News, are no longer available for download from the Apple Store outside of Russia.
On Tuesday, consumers in Russia still had access to Apple’s online store, but attempts to buy an iPhone showed they were not available for delivery.
Apple, which already had a tough relationship with Russia, does not maintain any physical Apple stores in the country, distributing iPhones there through online stores and licensed retailers.
However, Russia represents a small but growing segment of Apple’s revenue.
According to Russian technology news portal TAdviser, Apple’s revenue in Russia in 2020 reached 266 billion rubles, or about $ 2.5 billion – about one percent of the company’s annual sales.