Res 0067-2022

Whereas, Nearly 150,000 Ukrainians live in New York City, according to the New York Times; and Whereas, New York City is home to the largest Ukrainian community in the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal; and Whereas, On February 24, 2022, the world watched as the Russian military launched an armed assault against the nation of Ukraine; and Whereas, To date, Russian military operations are continuing to violate Ukrainian sovereignty, causing the destruction of national infrastructure including hospitals, schools and apartment buildings, and the loss of an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian lives so far, according to Time Magazine; and Whereas, According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, over 600,000 Ukrainians have already fled the country seeking safety and refuge; and Whereas, Neighborhoods in New York City, such as Manhattan's East Village and Brighton Beach, famously known as Little Odessa, have been consumed by anxiety and fear due to the conflict; and Whereas, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated the military intervention was necessary for the "demilitarization and denazification" of Ukraine; and Whereas, This reasoning from Putin has been described as false and irrational, and many believe it to be propaganda to justify an unprovoked and unnecessary war intended to overthrow a democratically elected government and occupy Ukraine; and Whereas, An analysis by Foreign Policy magazine declared Russian's military intervention as the most serious war in Europe since the Second World War; and Whereas, After reports that Russia used a thermobaric weapon, known as a "vacuum bomb," that is particularly likely to cause civilian casualties, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the use of such a weapon on civilian targets "would potentially be a war crime"; and Whereas, The International Criminal Court said it intended to open an investigation into whether Russia has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine; and Whereas, The global response to Russian military aggression has been to sanction the Russian Federation, which has thus far been ineffective in deterring the conflict; and Whereas, The international community has pressured for additional sanctions to be taken such as removing Russian banks from the international monetary system known as SWIFT, enlarging the freezing of assets, cutting off corresponding banking ties, and isolating supply chains; and Whereas, The United States Congress and President Biden have the ability to increase and expand the severity of sanctions implemented against the Russian Federation; and Whereas, As Russian troops and missiles continue to be employed against military and civilian targets across Ukraine, Russia's acts cannot be justified as an act of self-defense or humanitarian intervention under the UN Charter, and are in clear violation of international law; and Whereas, The United States Federal Government should act promptly to increase and implement all forms of sanctions to stop the conflict and prevent further tragedies; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine and calls upon Congress and President Joseph R. Biden to increase and expand the severity of sanctions imposed on Russia. AH LS #7876 03/04/2022 1