‘A violation of all sorts of international law,’ Gov. Charlie Baker reiterates plea to help Ukraine - MassLive.com
Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday reiterated his plea for U.S. and global leaders to help Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on civilians escalates — though the Republican leader stopped short of outlining what policies Massachusetts could pursue directly.
“It’s critical that the West and democracies generally do whatever they can to support the people of Ukraine, Baker said Thursday afternoon on GBH News’ Boston Public Radio. “This is clearly a violation of all sorts of international law, and the devastation and the carnage that’s coming with it because of the acts of Putin and his military are horrifying. And at the same time, you do come away just astonished by the clarity of purpose and the bravery of the Ukrainian people.”
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine began last week, Baker called Putin a tyrant who is putting “millions of innocent lives in jeopardy.”
The governor on Thursday did not discuss potential Ukrainian refugees coming to Massachusetts. But at last week’s news conference, Baker said if there is “additional activity with regard to that, we would certainly be part of whatever the United States would choose to do to help everybody.”
In the GBH interview, Baker called Ukrainians a “tough and able people.”
“They are in a terrible, terrible place,” Baker said. “And we should do whatever we can to help them.”
Baker earlier this week said his administration had just begun slogging through state contracts enmeshed with Russian businesses. The governor and Senate President Karen Spilka cautioned against cutting off ties with certain small businesses that inadvertently harm families with no direct political ties to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Baker also said he may issue an executive order curtailing Russian business connections, similar to action already taken in New York by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“I share my concern about shutting down some Russian immigrant family that’s been here in Massachusetts for years and runs a business that may have some sort of Russian overtone,” Baker said during a press conference Monday at the Massachusetts State House.
Separately this week, nearly 60 lawmakers pleaded with state Treasurer Deb Goldberg to divest pension funds from any Russian-owned companies. In a letter, state representatives and senators said their divestment request “will send a clear message that the commonwealth condemns Putin’s action and supports the people of Ukraine.” Massachusetts, as the lawmakers wrote, must refuse to “financially support and profit off those companies whose values run contrary to our own.”
Yet Goldberg, in her response letter, she said lacks the unilateral authority to divest pension obligation. That type of action requires legislative action, Goldberg said.
“Like you, I am horrified by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade the sovereign nation of Ukraine,” Goldberg wrote. “I stand firmly with the brave people of Ukraine, who have chosen to defiantly defend Democracy ... I welcome the opportunity to work with you on this important issue and support your efforts to divest state pension funds from Russian companies.”
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source: https://www.masslive.com/politics/2022/03/a-violation-of-all-sorts-of-international-law-gov-charlie-baker-reiterates-plea-to-help-ukraine.html
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