Chicago mayor announces the Windy City will no longer be twinned with Moscow


Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the Windy City will temporarily suspend its sister city program with Moscow to show support for Ukrainians. 

Lightfoot, 59, announced on Tuesday that she asked World Business Chicago – an economic development agency – ‘to suspend Chicago’s sister city relationship with Moscow’ in light of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last week. 

‘While this is not a decision I enter into lightly, we must send an unambiguous message: we strongly condemn all actions by the Putin regime,’ she said on Tuesday. ‘This suspension will be upheld until the end of hostilities against Ukraine and the Putin regime is held accountable for its crimes. We must continue to support freedom-loving people everywhere and ordinary Russians in their desire to be free.’ 

Moscow’s current mayor Sergey Sobyanin, 63, has not publicly commented on Chicago’s suspension of the program. 

Chicago has been a sister city with Moscow since 1997. The Windy City is also a sister city with Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, since 1991 and 27 others. 

Lori Lightfoot, 59, announced on Tuesday that she asked World Business Chicago - an economic development agency - 'to suspend Chicago¿s sister city relationship with Moscow' in light of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last week

Lori Lightfoot, 59, announced on Tuesday that she asked World Business Chicago – an economic development agency – ‘to suspend Chicago’s sister city relationship with Moscow’ in light of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last week

Moscow's current mayor Sergey Sobyanin, 63, has not publicly commented on Chicago's suspension of the program. Moscow is one of 29 cities that is partnered with Chicago - including Kyiv

Moscow’s current mayor Sergey Sobyanin, 63, has not publicly commented on Chicago’s suspension of the program. Moscow is one of 29 cities that is partnered with Chicago – including Kyiv 

'While this is not a decision I enter into lightly, we must send an unambiguous message: we strongly condemn all actions by the Putin regime,' she said on Tuesday

‘While this is not a decision I enter into lightly, we must send an unambiguous message: we strongly condemn all actions by the Putin regime,’ she said on Tuesday 

Lightfoot’s announcement came after 33 members of city council proposed revoking the agreement and urged other American cities to follow suit. 

The proposal was led by Raymond Lopez, of the 15th Ward. Writing on Twitter: ‘Today I join 32 of my City Council colleagues in calling to revoke Moscow’s Sister Cities status because of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

‘We stand united with those working to protect liberty & democracy. Other American cities should follow our lead now!’ 

The TV Tower in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, is hit by a Russia strike on Tuesday

The TV Tower in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, is hit by a Russia strike on Tuesday

A burnt-out car is seen on the street after a missile launched by Russian invaders hit near the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building in Freedom Square on Tuesday

A burnt-out car is seen on the street after a missile launched by Russian invaders hit near the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building in Freedom Square on Tuesday 

Hundreds of people gather at the Kyiv train station to try to catch a ride out of town with news of the Russian convoys approaching Kyiv

Hundreds of people gather at the Kyiv train station to try to catch a ride out of town with news of the Russian convoys approaching Kyiv

The proposal also called to ‘revoke’ the program from any partnering city that supported Russia. 

Chicago Sister Cities International issued a statement, stating: ‘Chicago is home to a large and proud Ukrainian American community. We stand in solidarity with Ukrainians here and across the world in support of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

‘Chicago and Kyiv have been sister cities since 1991, the same year that Ukraine gained its independence. Since then, Chicago and Kyiv have shared a long history of friendship and cooperation. Today, Chicago is home to a large and proud Ukrainian American community.

‘Since 1997, Chicago and Moscow have also been sister cities. The Kyiv and Moscow Committees of CSCI are saddened by current events, condemn the acts of aggression against Ukraine, and are committed to promoting understanding through citizen-to-citizen diplomacy,’ it said in the statement. 

The Sister City Program began in 1991 when then-Mayor Richard M. Daley signed the executive order.  Other cities include Athens, Greece; Paris, France; Birmingham, UK; Mexico City, Mexico; Milan, Italy; and more. 

Chicago Sister Cities International also issued a statement, writing: 'Chicago is home to a large and proud Ukrainian American community. We stand in solidarity with Ukrainians here and across the world in support of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine'

Chicago Sister Cities International also issued a statement, writing: ‘Chicago is home to a large and proud Ukrainian American community. We stand in solidarity with Ukrainians here and across the world in support of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine’

City Council member Raymond Lopez - who first proposed revoking the program - encouraged other 'Americans cities' to follow suit

City Council member Raymond Lopez – who first proposed revoking the program – encouraged other ‘Americans cities’ to follow suit 

In addition, both cities are facing rising crime, with Chicago counting total figures of 206,000 in the city in 2021. That was the deadliest year in decades for the Windy City with almost 800 homicides – the most since 1996. 

Moscow only reported 143,000 total crimes last year, in comparison, according to Statistica. 

Chicago isn’t the only one to pull support from Russia. States like New Hampshire, Utah, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio have all pulled the sale of Russian vodka from the shelves of state-run liquor stores. 

Texas has also called chief executives at interest groups representing restaurants, package companies and retailers to remove Russian products. And New York signed an executive order to pull any money out of Russian investments. 

Tech giant Apple has paused all product sales in Russia in response to the Russian invasion.

The move comes after Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s digital minister, sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, pleading with him to suspend all sales and services in Russia, including the App Store.

Chicago’s sister cities

  • Accra, Greece 
  • Amman, Jordan
  • Athens, Greece 
  • Belgrade, Serbia
  • Birmingham, United Kingdom 
  • Bogota, Colombia
  • Busan, Republic of Korea
  • Casablanca, Morocco
  • Delhi, India
  • Durban, South Africa
  • Galway, Ireland 
  • Gothenburg, Sweden 
  • Hamburg, Germany
  • Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Lahore, Pakistan 
  • Lucerne, Switzerland
  • Mexico City, Mexico 
  • Milan, Italy
  • Moscow, Russia (suspended)
  • Osaka, Japan
  • Paris, France
  • Petach Tikva, Israel 
  • Prague, Czech Republic 
  • Shanghai, China 
  • Shenyang, China
  • Sydney, Australia 
  • Toronto, Canada
  • Vilnius, Lithunania
  • Warsaw, Poland   

Source: Chicago Sister City 

Apple confirmed on Tuesday that it was moving to halt Russian sales, which Fedorov said he hopes will infuriate younger Russians and motivate them to protest against the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Apple said in a statement: ‘We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all of the people who are suffering as a result of the violence.’ 

‘We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing aid for the unfolding refugee crisis, and doing all we can to support our teams in the region,’ Apple’s statement added.

The company outlined a number of actions in response to the invasion, including stopping all exports into its sales channels in the country.

Apple Pay and other services have been limited, the company said.

The Russian state media, RT News and Sputnik News, are no longer available for download from the Apple Store outside Russia.

On Tuesday, users in Russia were still able to access Apple’s online store but attempts to buy an iPhone showed that they were not available for delivery.

Apple, which already had a somewhat fraught relationship with Russia, does not maintain any physical Apple Stores in the country, distributing iPhones there through an online store and licensed retailers. 

Nevertheless, Russia accounts for a small but growing segment of Apple revenue.

According to Russian technology news portal TAdviser, Apple’s Russia revenues in 2020 reached 266billion rubles, or about $2.5billion – about one per cent of the company’s annual sales. 

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