How do you reconcile maintaining the sister city relationship with Russia knowing the consequences?

How do you reconcile maintaining the sister city relationship with Russia knowing the consequences that come at a cost of Ukrainian lives, language, and culture?

Outlined below are 3 reasons Sister Cities International and Mayor Wheeler gave for maintaining the sister city relationship with Russia, as well as the consequences of doing so. When presented with the following facts, the Mayor of Portland, OR still maintains ties with Russia.  

Reason 1- The programs promote long-term peace around the world.

[in fact] Russian brigades from these areas are committing acts of terrorism, barbaric and brutal torture, and genocide.

• Russian troops tied the hands of innocent civilians behind their backs, tortured and committed heinous acts of sexual violence, before murdering innocent civilians in Bucha, Ukraine.
• Portland’s sister city of Russia is Khabarovsk -- home to one of the Russian troops that brutally massacred civilians in Bucha.
• These inhumane practices of genocide are ongoing, in real-time...yet the City of Portland has yet to sever its sister city ties with Khabarovsk.

“I will continue to be of the opinion that we need to maintain our ties with our Russian sister city.” ~Mayor Wheeler, Portland OR Sep 28, 2022

Reason 2 -The sister city relationship provides a channel of communication to isolated Russians.

[in fact] The Russian Federation controls communication in Russia; the sister city relationship is exploited by Russia and used in deadly Russian propaganda at the cost of Ukrainian lives.

• The Russian Federation controls communication in Russia.
• In covering a March 2, 2022 sister city event, a Khabarovsk newspaper quotes Portland officials as saying “that the suspension or termination of the relationship with our Russian partner city should not be the cities' response to the special operation in Ukraine.”
• The Russian Federation had been planning what they call a “special military operation” for years prior the full-scale invasion.  
• The sister city relationship as the “last channel of communication” to isolated Russians is not positively influential.

“In Russia there is always the risk of propagandizing our decision, but I also hope there is a message that gets to the people of Russia that we support those who oppose Putin within Russia.” ~Mayor Wheeler, Portland OR Sep 28, 2022

Reason 3 - These are people-to-people and community-to community endeavors.  

[in fact] Russian city government officials are involved with these endeavors, these are not solely people-to-people.

• A Khabarovsk city government official, Andrey Khmara, curated and attended a sister city event March 2, 2022 between Portland children and Khabarovsk children.
• Khmara was then quoted in a Khabarovsk newspaper that Portland ignored President Zelenskyy’s call to cut sister city ties and referenced the March “friendship bridge”  as evidence of Portland’s support suggesting Russia is not isolated. 

“Sister cites were created to circumnavigate the government to government posturing, politics and warfare.” ~Mayor Wheeler, Portland OR Sep 28, 2022

To watch the presentation made to City Council follow the link, fast forward to 41:48  Address to City Council

For context, only 3 minutes were provided to make this presentation to the Mayor and City Council, on Sep 28, 2022. Though my reference is Portland, MOST US-RU sister cities still remain.  

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