Wayne Council Passes Resolution Supporting Ukrainians, Nation's Sovereignty

WAYNE, NJ — Wayne Township Council put its support for Ukraine on the record, passing a resolution Wednesday supporting the nation's people and its sovereignty.

The measure includes support for Ukraine's resistance against Russia and the United States's continued use of "peaceful methods including sanctions" to fully isolate Russia President Vladimir Putin's administration. The council unanimously passed the resolution.

"I wanted to thank the residents of Wayne for their generosity that has come about in so many ways," Ward 5 Council Member Francine Ritter, who read the resolution out loud, said before the vote.

Read the measure on page 3 of the meeting's proposed resolutions.

The council also expressed support for New Jersey's suspension of relationships with businesses and financial institutions backed by Russia's government. Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law March 9 prohibiting dealings with businesses associated with Russia and Belarus, its close ally. The State Assembly and Senate passed the bill unanimously.

New Jersey has 75,000 residents of Ukrainian descent — many of whom live in Wayne and neighboring communities, according to the resolution.

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion escalated an eight-year war that centered around Ukraine's government and separatists in the nation's Crimea and Donbas regions. More than 2,200 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, and nearly 3.5 million refugees have fled the country since Feb. 24, according to the Center for Preventive Action.

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