BALTIMORE — Maryland terminated its largely symbolic “Sister State” relationship with the region that includes the Russian city of St. Petersburg due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Gov. Larry Hogan sent a letter to Aleksandr Drozdenko, the governor of Leningrad Oblast, on Monday that cited “the duty of every government to remain vigilant of unlawful acts against public order, democratic principles and innocent civilians.”
Maryland’s relationship with Leningrad Oblast dates to 1993, a time of thawing relations and new investment in Russia by the United States after the fall of the Soviet Union. The state retains the Soviet-era name for the country’s second-largest city.
If Hogan hadn’t acted, Senate President Bill Ferguson said Monday morning that he planned to introduce a resolution calling for Hogan to pull out of the partnership.
“Diplomacy and soft power are vital, and relations should be resumed when Russian aggression ceases,” Ferguson wrote on Twitter. “Until then, we must send a clear message that we stand with Ukraine.”
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