A Resolution condemning the unprovoked invasion and egregious act of aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. On motion of Councilors Breadon and Bok, Rule 12 was invoked to include Councilor Flynn as co-sponsor.
Doug in number 0326 Councilor Braden and Councilor by calling for the following a resolution condemning the unprovoked invasion and egregious act of aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Thank you, Mr. Clarke. The Chair recognizes Councilor Braden. Councilor Braden, the floor is yours. President Flynn as an original co-sponsor. Seeing and hearing no objections. Councilor Flynn It is added as the third original co-sponsor. Councilor Braden You have the floor. Just as how the Council has adopted resolutions in the past condemning war and imperialism across the globe. I offer this resolution today to condemn Russia's egregious invasion of Ukraine. Let's call it what it is. It's a war when you're firing cruise missiles into populations, civilian populations. It's a war, as we have seen in the news early Thursday morning, February 24th. The president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, launched a full scale invasion of sovereign Ukraine. The number of dead and injured, both military and civilian, is undetermined and growing. But the cost of this act of aggression will be lives, livelihoods, homes and cities. And the impact will reverberate beyond Ukraine and Eastern Europe, and it will reverberate in this country as well. To date, it looks like 800,000 Ukrainians have already been forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries and up to 4 million Ukrainians are expected to be displaced in this act of war. We must also condemn the threat of nuclear aggregation that was that has precariously mounted since the 2014 annexation of Crimea just less than three months ago. I introduced a resolution that was adopted by the council renouncing nuclear weapons proliferation and urging the United States to pull back from the brink and prevent nuclear war. In this situation in Ukraine, we are not one step closer to an on and on anticipated and unexpected escalation into a nuclear conflict. We must affirm our unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, self-governance and territorial integrity by calling for the immediate cessation of violence and illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is lacked regard for citizens lives. And commend the courage, resolve and resilience shown by the Ukrainian people, both in Ukraine and overseas here in Boston and in here in Boston, in their pursuit of sovereignty and democracy. On the humanitarian front, we must ensure all citizens have safe passage to escape into and that including black Ukrainians, have been held back from fleeing and seeking asylum. We must also increase aid efforts to for refugee resettlement both nationally and locally for those who are displaced, both as a result of the war in Ukraine as as as well as those who have been and will continue to seek asylum. Before and after Ukraine. What we're seeing in the turn on the television in this moment in the 21st century. It's such a sad and tragic situation that we do not have better mechanisms to solve and promote international cooperation and peace. And I do urge you to my colleagues to support this resolution. Thank you. Thank you. Councilor Braden, Councilor Bach, you have the floor. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Today for Catholics and civilians like myself, it's Ash Wednesday. And Ash Wednesday is a day of reflecting on our mortality and fragility and the extent to which we all ultimately depend on God and one another. And I think that when we see a situation like the situation in Ukraine and that there are a million conversations about what are the foreign policy options about the looming terror as counselor and great instead of nuclear war. But I think that the first thing that we can do and that we must do, and that to its credit, I think the world has largely done in this moment, is is to lift up our prayers. And that was why it was so good to be joined by Father Roman at the beginning of this meeting and to stand in solidarity with one another. And I think that this resolution is a way for this council, the city council of the city of Boston and the United States far away from Ukraine and yet home to a Ukrainian American community here, as we heard this morning and as we are home, as we've been discussing to so many communities of immigrants that still feel that that tether and tie to moratorium homes. And I think that what we can do here in the council today is to is to say that we stand with the Ukrainian people and to express, as the resolution expresses, not not only condemnation and then standing with, but also recognizing that Boston should be a home and a welcoming place for refugees and migrants from all countries. Just as we joined in supporting the resolution on against Title 42 a few weeks ago. And I think that that, you know, no one city anywhere in the world right now can be all of what the Ukrainian people need. The Ukrainian people are reaching within themselves of their own resources. And yet the. World we have. Has to figure out all the things that we can do. And and and. And just recognize together that when we many decades ago made the fateful decision as a as a humanity to move towards nuclear weapons and towards a destructive foreign force that quite literally ties all of our fates up together, that that also obligates us to think in universal terms about solidarity and moments like this. So I do hope that the council will join us in passing this resolution today. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Councilor, back at the path, I would like now to recognize. Council President Flynn. Council President Flynn, the floor is yours. Okay. Thank you, counsel Counsel Arroyo. And just wanted to highlight the some of the Ukrainian flag raising ceremony, as we've had with counsel, clarity and counsel of counsel Baker and Councilor O'Malley. That was that was here before with attorney Nick Zazula, who was one of the leaders there in the community, and Professor Peter Walsh and Chuck. But it was a great, great to see the Ukrainian Ukrainian community join these flag raising ceremony. But what we also learned from the community is their love of country and their love, love of democracy. And as as counselor great and Counselor Bach discussed on this, the Ash Wednesday, we prayed for for peace and an end to the senseless war and suffering across across Europe and across Ukraine. And we continue to stand with the Ukrainian people during this very difficult time. The U.S. has always stood with people in need, and that's something we're proud of and we're going to continue to do. Thank you. COUNSEL Well, thank you. President Flynn. The chair now recognizes Counselor Clarity. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Raised to support Ukraine. Please add my name to this resolution and through the chair to the makers if they would consider a sixth resolve in that calling upon the Biden administration to stop buying oil from Russia, it's been reported that we may be buying somewhere, let's say, of 600,000 barrels a day. The fact that we're participating in their economy is unconscionable. Not to mention we're getting price gouged through the chair to the makers if they would consider a six resolve calling upon the Biden administration to stop buying oil from Russia. Thank you, counsel. Clarity. I'm going to turn it over to counselor back. Counsel, but the floor is yours. Or Councilor? Sorry. Not concerned about Councilor Brady. I thank my colleague for his an amendment to a resolution. I'd be happy to hear that. Thank you. So I also had another two comments. In Alston Brighton we have a large immigrant population of elderly, retired, Russian and Ukrainian folks. Many of them fought in World War Two to defeat fascism and Nazis. And I really want to stress this moment that Russian folks living in the city of Boston are not our enemy. Many of them fled oppression and persecution in the former Soviet Union, and they sought shelter and they were refugees here, along with their Ukrainian neighbors. So I want to stress that while we condemn the actions of President Putin and the Russian Federation in this moment, that we embrace and support our Russian and Ukrainian neighbors in our in our neighborhood, in our district and in our cities. Thank you, Counselor Brady. And before I just go to the opens. It sounds like that's a yes for adding the six resolves that counselor clarity suggested that is there that so I'm saying that it heads from all of the original co-sponsors. I'm not going to go to Counselor Baker. The floor is yours. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you for my colleagues for bringing this bringing this to be a very, very important issue that we stand with the Ukrainian people in my quest to educate myself on things other than Boston. I started listening to political podcasts, and I came across a woman, Anne Applebaum, who broke down the Ukrainian new Ukrainian Russian issue that's happening, and in what she had described it as, is very similar to what the English had done to to the Irish. They they wanted them to be English subjects and the Irish wouldn't have it. They they went so far as to to even stab the Irish people going back to the 1830s, which is why the despair happened in Ireland and why you have Irish people all over the entire world as early as night, as late as 1930. Now, this this. This policy goes back to Czar Nicholas and was also enacted by Joseph Stalin. So in the thirties and they called it the Harlem. They went door to door in the Ukraine, taking their food to starve them out the exact same way that they did to the Irish people. So this is the type of longstanding political battle that's going on. And let's not forget that, that when Hitler came in, Hitler came into Poland first. Ukraine's right next to that. So this is scary, scary time. And I'm thrilled that you guys put this on the floor here today, and I'm glad to add my name. Thank you. Thank you. Councilor Baker, Councilor Louis. Jan, the floor is yours. Thank you, Counselor Arroyo. And thank you for to the sponsors for introducing this. So many of us right now are, you know, standing in solidarity with what's happening with Ukrainians who did not ask for this war and with many Russians through also did not ask for this war. Just want to make sure that we are also highlighting the plight of migrants of all of all of all colors who find themselves in Ukraine, even in times of war, xenophobia and anti-blackness reared its ugly head. And it is, you know, someone who is, you know, wants to be or is upset by the fact of war, by the act of war. It is it hurts w more when you see migrants, when you see folks of Arab descent, when you see black folks being denied entry into other countries as they to seek refuge. So as we address the issues here of war, of imperialism, of let's also not forget that migrants in countries, whether in the United States or in the Ukraine, also deserve safety and to be free from harm and persecution and war as well. So thank you. Thank you. Councilor Lui. Jen, Councilor Edwards, the floor is yours. Thank you very much. I echo the comments of my colleagues as well, especially the comments from Councilor Braden, noting that the Russian people are not our enemy. I had the honor of getting to know and befriend a Katya who lives in Russia right now. And it was just somewhat surreal that I watched what's actor and said, How are you and what's going on? And for her to respond and say, None of us want this. We don't want this. This is not us. And I really want a lot of us to. My my neighbors, my friends to understand that the the Russian people are equally not are not behind this. This is the result of a madman, a dictator, and someone who honestly probably wasn't even legally elected to lead his country. So even his his authorities, I believe in question. I also want to shift not so much to shift the focus, but also added to this conversation. There's something Special Counsel Flynn and I both share, and that is our military connection. And I want you to know that when talks of war happen, there's a special kind of feeling you get in your gut. My mother served in the band the Air Force, and I grew up on military bases. And during Iraq one, everyone feels that part of that unique community, especially when you're the child of someone who could be deployed. And so we had therapy. We had people dealing with those of us who are going to school every day and knowing our parents going to work was going to Iraq and going to deal with and possibly not come home. So this is this is a message also to those who are serving in the military, those who are serving, of course, already in the military and Ukraine, but also to those who are coming and volunteering in different countries around the world, and especially ours, and to those who have been retired. I know you feel it as well. You feel the sense of it's it might be time, it might be coming up. It might be one of us. And I just want you to know, you, of course, have all my solidarity, my sense and and my patriotism. And I wanted to express that and thank those who've already answered that call and ultimately had the ultimate sacrifice for this country. But, you know, being a kid of the 19, 1980s, a good chunk of my childhood was during the Cold War on a military base. This is eerily familiar feeling. It's eerily familiar about Russia. It's eerily familiar from feeling. And so I want to acknowledge that feeling. And there are a lot of us who are feeling it. So thank you. Thank you, Counselor Edwards. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Seeing. No. No hands. Would anyone else like to add their up? If I can. Yeah. Com's President Flynn for. Thank you, Counselor Arroyo. I'll be very brief. Just want to. Wanted to respond to my good friend and colleague, Councilor Edwards. Um, we spent a lot of time over the last four years talking about military families, and you added so much to the discussion. I also want to recognize our other colleague, Tanya Fernandez. Anderson is also a military family. And we also know the the sacrifices of Tanya and and her family as well during this difficult time in our in our country. So I just wanted to acknowledge my acknowledge our colleague as well. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Council President Flynn. Would anyone else like to add their name? Please add Councilor Edwards. Mr. Clarke, please add Councilor Fernandez Anderson Please add Councilor Lara, please add Councilor Lui. Jan, please add Councilor Murphy, please add Councilor Allen, please add the chair at this time to turn it back to Council. President Flynn But I do believe that there's a motion on the floor from Councilor Clarity, that is, to adopt new language that that is being brought out. And then I think it will be a vote on that amendment and then a vote to suspend and pass it today. So. Council President Flynn. Should I stay here? Yeah, I'll take care. I don't know if that I know that the. Mr. Clarke, do we already have the copy of. I see. Counsel Clarity has his counterpart. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The language is being just drafted to for the friendly amendment, and it just requires a second and a quick vote of the council. Maybe just a quick, brief recess. Another in your lady's office taking that's. We'll take a brief recess until we have the. Until we have that in front of you. We are back in session. Thank you. Okay. Yes. Yes. I now recognize Councilor Fire to. Take a message through the charity to the Makers. A friendly amendment to add a sixth resolve. Calls on the Biden administration to stop buying oil from Russia. Requires a second and a vote and we can move forward. Thank you. So seconded. Now, Mr. Clarke, if you can do a roll call vote on the motion to amend the roll call. Vote on a motion to amend. Councilor Royal. Yes. Councilor Roy. Yes. Counsel Baker was voting on the motion to implement. Yes. Councilor Baker. Yes. Councilor Bark. Councilor Kiss. Councilor Braden. Councilor Braden. Yes. Councilor Edwards. Councilor Edwards. Yes. Councilor Fernandes. Sanderson. That's different than the standards. And yes, council clarity has clarity as. Councilor Flynn. Yes. Councilor Flynn. Yes. Council The Council. Our Council. Our Yes. Council. The Regional Council. Regional Council. The Here Council. Murphy. Yes, that's. Murphy. Yes, and Council World. Thank you, Mr. Clarke. The resolution will be so amended. Now we are seeking a vote, a suspension of the rules and passage of this docket as amended. Number 3 to 6. All those in favor say I all oppose. I say nay at the ayes have the ayes have it. Docket 3 to 6 is passed. Thank you, counsel rail. We're going into personnel orders. Mr. Clark, please read docket.