By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — The Representative Town Meeting on Tuesday voiced solidarity with the people of Ukraine, now under attack from Russia.

Near the close of the meeting, which had a short agenda and as some members were anxious to tune in the State of the Union address, member Sal Liccione, District 9, asked Chairman Jeff Weiser if the body could vote “to support Ukraine in their fight and oppose Russia.”

Weiser reframed the motion as, “We, the RTM, condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a free and independent nation recognized by the United Nations.”

“Is that your motion Sal?” he asked. Yes, Liccione replied.

Candace Banks, District 6, seconded the motion.

Russia, which had been massing troops around Ukraine’s borders for months, on Feb. 24 invaded, and as of Tuesday, was ramping up attacks on Ukraine’s major cities as thousands seek refuge from the fighting.

There have been hundreds of civilian deaths. Citizens have taken up arms, and many nations have imposed sanctions on Russia, its president Vladimir Putin and other oligarchs.

There was no comment from RTM members or the public on the motion. The question, however, didn’t appear in doubt for a town body that has a tradition of non-partisanship.

Many RTM members and others attending the Zoom meeting wore yellow and blue, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

The body voted 32-0 for the sense-of-the-meeting resolution condemning the Russian invasion.

Later, President Joe Biden devoted a large part of his State of the Union address to the Ukraine crisis. Those remarks, unlike recent years, prompted moments of bipartisanship from the congressional audience.