Santa Clara County Supervisors have unanimously voted to sever its sister-city relationship with Moscow because the Russian invasion of Ukraine approaches its one month mark.
“We are actually on day 27 of this invasion that we now have all watched in horror,” stated District 3 Supervisor Otto Lee, who invoked his previous profession as a navy veteran whereas condemning Russia. “And definitely many people really feel so hopeless to cease this battle that I do imagine our motion at this time will have the ability to work as a voice to assist spark the sunshine for these darkish issues.”
Santa Clara County has had ties with town of Moscow since 1994, the identical yr it established a fee that hosts Russian delegations as type of cultural trade.
Tuesday’s transfer by the supervisors runs counter to how San Jose has approached its personal sister-city relationship with Russia, which it has held since 1992. Earlier within the month, town selected to not sever its ties with Ekaterinburg and as an alternative despatched a letter to the leaders of the nation’s fourth largest metropolis urging peace in Ukraine and assist for Russia residents who oppose the battle.
Whereas District 5 Supervisor Joe Simitian on Tuesday referred to as the county’s transfer a “symbolic” gesture, he stated that some type of determination needed to be made in mild of current occasions.
“Symbols will be essential,” he stated. “We try, I feel, by our motion, to make an announcement.”
County Govt Jeff Smith, whose workplace introduced the referral on Tuesday, had acknowledged in early March that along with severing ties with Moscow he would additionally go away open the choice of dismantling the Moscow fee, a call that introduced criticism from a few of its members. The fee at the moment has 9 members and organizes journeys between county residents and Russians. In recent times, Russians have toured county establishments like its courts and native universities reminiscent of Stanford.
On Tuesday, nonetheless, Smith had modified his thoughts, calling the fee’s cultural exchanges “constructive” and solely recommending that authorities ties be reduce. Supervisors additionally acknowledged the fee’s contributions and acknowledged they didn't wish to see it's disbanded.
However not all fee members are pleased with how Tuesday’s assembly turned out.
Nancy Madison, who has been a member of the fee on and off for twenty years, stated that she worries how Tuesday’s actions by the supervisors might have an effect on her group going ahead. Along with slicing off its relationship with Moscow, the board additionally authorized amendments to the fee’s bylaws that Madison stated might stifle its skill to obtain funding for future delegations.
In the intervening time, nonetheless, the fee is unable to convey over any Russian residents for a go to to the county. Shortly after Ukraine was invaded, the U.S. government-sponsored group that helps facilitate the delegations suspended all packages with Russia and its ally Belarus.