HOUSTON – The City of Houston announced on Friday that they have suspended their Sister City relationship with Tyumen, a city in Russia, amid the one-year anniversary of the Russian-Ukraine war.
The announcement, made by Mayor Sylvester Turner, stated that dialogue with Russia “has become nearly impossible.”
Recommended Videos
“With deep sadness, we mark one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, violating our most closely held beliefs on sovereignty, stability, and security. We mourn the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions of innocent people whose lives have been torn apart,” Mayor Turner said.
The City of Houston established a Sister City relationship with Tyumen in 1995. The city also ended their partnership agreement with Moscow.
Mayor Turner added that the country reportedly blocked access to social media and global news outlets, and cracked down on protests and criminalized public opposition to the war.
“I look forward to the day when we can again engage in productive conversations connecting our cities worldwide, and our hearts continue to go out to the Ukrainian people,” Mayor Turner said.
What are Sister City relationships?
Sister City relationships are city-to-city relationships that link American cities to international cities by exchanging cultures, ideas, and people. Houston’s sister cities include Tampico, Mexico, Leipzig, Germany, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
To learn more, click here.
RELATED CONTENT:
Houston Fire Dept. donates $230K of firefighter equipment to sister city Tampico, Mexico
KPRC 2′s Zach Lashway returns to Poland 1 year since Russia invaded Ukraine