Expressing solidarity with the local leaders of Ukraine.

WHEREAS, City and county leaders around the world play an indispensable role in the democracies they represent; and

WHEREAS, Municipal leaders of jurisdictions near and far are united by the shared goal of providing, maintaining, and guaranteeing a certain quality-of-life for residents, workers, and visitors; and

WHEREAS, Every local leader has a fundamental responsibility to their constituency - to keep them safe and free from oppression; and

WHEREAS, Russia’s invasion of, and ongoing war against, the nation of Ukraine, represents a direct threat to the people there, and an indirect threat to democracies everywhere; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, Russian aggression brought Crimea under its administration, and more recently, Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts through indirect control by puppet governments; and

WHEREAS, The ongoing invasion appears to be principally focused on capturing cities, particularly the capital city of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Mariupol, and Kherson, among others; and

WHEREAS, The tireless efforts of municipal officials and public servants in Ukraine as they fight to protect the lives, freedoms, and livelihoods of the communities they represent are nothing less than heroic; and

WHEREAS, For example, in Lviv, a city of one million people near the Polish border, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi and other local leaders are involved in round-the-clock efforts to provide refuge to roughly 200,000 people displaced from elsewhere in Ukraine; and

WHEREAS, Cities in the United States, including Tacoma, Washington, Charleston, South Carolina, and Columbus, Ohio, have stood in solidarity with Ukraine by passing resolutions of support and sending material support, amongst other efforts; and

WHEREAS, In addition, The Board of Directors of the National League of Cities (“NLC”), an advocacy organization representing the United States’ 19,495 cities, towns, and villages, recently passed its own resolution in support of the local leaders of Ukraine; and

WHEREAS, This Council condemns the unwarranted aggression of Russia, applauds the bravery of Ukraine’s local leaders, and encourages democratic municipalities everywhere to do what they can to end the current crisis and directly support humanitarian efforts currently underway on the front lines of this unjust war; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia, Does hereby express solidarity with the local leaders of Ukraine.

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