Cliffside Park Adopts pro-Ukraine Resolution; Even Small Towns’ Efforts are Meaningful

The Ukrainian flag was added to the Stars &
Stripes at the start of the war in February.

Large states and small metropolises across America are joining the tidal wave of official denunciations of Russia’s bloody, genocidal invasion of Ukraine that is being headed by Vladimir Putin.

Earlier this month, the borough of Cliffside Park, NJ, in Bergen County, became one of the latest to condemn Moscow and Putin.

The resolution, 2022-62, touches upon and condemns all of the vital issues and nuances of the Russo-Ukraine War of 2014-22. It states:

Whereas, on February 24, 2022, after months of troop and tank buildups, Russia began shelling and rocket attacks on several major cities in Ukraine, including its capital Kyiv; and

Whereas, these Russian troops have met with strong and courageous opposition from the Ukrainian military and citizen resistance; and

Whereas, Russian President Vladimir Putin has long sought to control Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union and more currently after many countries in Eastern and Center Europe, once part of the Soviet bloc, proceeded toward democratic governments and joined alliances with western European nations, and

Whereas, Ukraine has been at war with Russian since 2014, when Putin invaded the Crimea region of Ukraine after its pro-Russian president was ousted; several other regions in Ukraine are controlled by separatist forces backed by Putin who have waged protracted fighting against the Ukrainian military; Putin refuses to acknowledge Ukrainian as a sovereign nation; and

Whereas, over the last few weeks, the US and its Western European allies have announced strong measures that undoubtedly will cause Moscow to suffer economically even as it struggles to tame Ukraine militarily: from new weapons transfers to anticorruption punishments to powerful sanctions on Russian banks to the shutting of the European Union’s airspace to Russian flights; and

Whereas, this Government Body stands with President Zelenskyy who has stated “I am pleased even more allies have come forward with defensive and humanitarian aid. We must stand with the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and democracies”; and

Whereas, this resolution constitutes an emergency measure for the immediate preservation of public peace, property, health or safety; and

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Cliffside Park that this Governing Body strongly condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine, denounces Vladimir Putin’s years-long aggression against this sovereign country, supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, and encourages the US and its partners to continue the exceptionally strong sanctions against Russia.

The resolution was signed by Mayor Thomas Calabrese, Sercan Zoklu, Borough clerk, and council members D. Martinotti, K. Corcoran, P. Colao, S. Nikaj, J. Chmielewski, and E. Rojas.

If such a small municipality like Cliffside Park can demonstrate a deep understanding of the issues pertaining to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and adopt an appropriate resolution condemning Moscow’s aggression, then there is no excuse for any borough, city or state in the country not to do the same.