Lane County and the state of Oregon have rallied support for Ukrainians during the Russian invasion of Ukraine through public demonstrations, financial aid and blows to the Russian economy.
The Eugene City Council directed staff to investigate how Eugene can send $10,000 from the city budget to Ukraine for humanitarian aid and relief at a Feb. 28 city council meeting.
Councilor Emily Semple, dressed in Ukraine’s national colors of blue and yellow, said she is worried for Ukraine.
“I hope that this community we feel with Ukraine continues, and I hope Ukraine continues as Ukraine,” Semple said.
Councilors made the motion after discussing whether or not Eugene would temporarily break ties with its Russian sister city of Irkutsk. Sister Cities International is a non-profit program that pairs cities in the United States with cities abroad as a means of connecting with international communities, according to its website. The relationship between Eugene and Irkutsk, which began in 1988, is intended to be a peacemaking program, and the city of Eugene does not provide money to Irkutsk, Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis said.
Vinis wrote a letter on March 7 to Irkutsk’s mayor Ruslan Nikolaevich Bolotov condemning the invasion and emphasizing that the sister city relationship must not be misinterpreted as approval or complacency of the conflict. She also said Eugene hopes that any citizens who have been arrested or detained for a peaceful protest will be released.
The groups Planet Vs. Pentagon and the Community Alliance of Lane County hosted a vigil at the Federal Courthouse in Eugene to show support for Ukrainians on March 6. About 100 people attended the rally over the course of an hour, Sue Barnhart of Planet Vs. Pentagon said.
“I think that everybody there at the vigil was united in being very upset that Ukraine was invaded and that women and children were being killed and innocent people — older people,” Barnhart said. “I think a lot of the world is united in opposition to something like this.”
Richard Janowicz, a pastor at Nativity of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church in Springfield, has been collecting donations for humanitarian aid organizations in Ukraine since the beginning of the war.
“It’s a really difficult time,” Janowicz said. “Anxiety and worry about the family and friends that people have in Ukraine, for their health and their welfare and the sake of their lives.”
Janowicz said some Ukrainians attend his church, and they have been reacting to the news of the invasion with anxiety and faith.
“You have to be anxious, of course, when you have relatives and family that are under the threat of war,” Janowicz said. “But at the same time, I think they have faith in God, that they trust that the Lord will help them during this time of need and also they’re committed to a free and democratic Ukraine.”
Janowicz said American support is important for upholding democracy in Ukraine. “The support that people have shown not only for Ukraine but Ukraine’s people has been really touching,” he said.
State agencies are taking action to criticize the Russian invasion from overseas. The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission announced on Feb. 28 it would pull all Russian-made liquors from Oregon shelves.
“The OLCC understands that there are times when we must respond to a higher calling in the interest of humanity, and this is but a small step the OLCC and the state of Oregon can take,” Chair of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission Paul Rosenbaum said in a statement.
State Treasurer Tobias Read directed the disposal of Oregon investments in sanctioned Russian companies on March 3. “The situation in Ukraine is serious, tragic, and growing more desperate by the day,” Read said in a statement. “I stand with Ukraine.”
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown condemned Russia’s actions in a Twitter thread on Feb. 28. She said she has contacted the White House to see what actions Oregon can take to aid the Ukrainian people.
“Oregon will always be a welcoming place to everyone who calls our state home,” Brown said. “If you can, support a Ukrainian-owned business today. To all Ukrainians, in Oregon and across the world, we are keeping you and your families in our hearts.”
Brown also said to remember the actions of the Russian government are not the actions of the Russian people.
“We value our Russian community here in Oregon, and many Russian families are being impacted by this conflict,” Brown said. “As Oregonians, let’s all unite together for peace.”
