“We want to be friends with you, but we can’t under these circumstances”: U.S.-Russian sister-city ties after the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Abstract

Dozens of U.S. cities have sister-city partners in Russia. In 2022, Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine prompted discussions in many American urban governments about whether such partnerships should be continued. Some decision makers maintained ties. Others suspended or severed them entirely. This article uses role theory to examine how U.S. cities framed their choices in light of the expectations inherent to a “sister-city role.” The role requires a commitment to people-to-people interactions, communication, and the promotion of global peace, as well as a pledge not to let the actions of central governments—however objectionable they may be—affect sister-city relationships. Virtually all of the cities under investigation decided to openly criticize Moscow, therefore weakening one of the role’s expectations. The decision makers that maintained ties sought to reframe the role and reinforce commitment to people-to-people interactions. Those that suspended ties argued that the lack of communication and the impossibility of promoting global peace with Russian partners rendered the role unusable. These conversations occurred largely without any feedback or response from Russian sister-city partners. Since roles are relational and can be enacted when all relevant parties are in agreement, it remains an open question whether efforts at reframing expectations or open criticism of the invasion have altered the viability of U.S.-Russian sister-city relations in the future.