In recent weeks, our American society has frozen in horror. Russian troops are bombing civilians to incite panic and slaughter them into submission.  The scale and scope of the situation is completely absurd beyond human comprehension. It must be fully condemned and stopped by all elected officials and constituents.

At this time, both Portland and Waterville plan to maintain their ties to Russian “sister cities.” This is nothing more than superficial optics and a metaphorical “olive branch” that must end. As a first-generation American daughter of Soviet Jewish refugees, I have asked our elected officials to 1) end the sister city programs and relationships immediately, 2) fully condemn Putin’s toxic dictatorship, and 3) encourage the citizens of Russian “sister cities” to stand up against their leader.

Historically, Russian citizens have been manipulated to stay comfortable within their dictator’s disillusionment and lies. While there are hundreds of Russian people putting their lives at risk by taking to the streets, there are many citizens who are quiet and do not want to speak up. The fact of the matter is that it is time to stand up against the bully leading their country. The United States provided security assurances to Ukraine in 1994 with the signing of the Budapest Memorandum. We must therefore work to send as much humanitarian, financial, and military aid to Ukraine as we can and help protect their fragile democracy. It is our moral obligation to do everything we can to stop this war and not be complacent.