SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Dmytro Kushneruk is San Francisco’s Consul General of Ukraine.

“So on Friday, we had the meeting with Governor Gavin Newsom,” Kushneruk said.

Following the Russian attacks on Ukraine, Newsom sat down with Kushneruk.

A couple of hours after the meeting, the governor signed an executive order targeting Russia financially.

It’s ordering state agencies to terminate contracts with companies or people subject to
U.S. Sanctions because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Those contracts and agreements must be valued at $5 million dollars or more.

“It’s very important on a state level to review and check how the businesses and state agencies and how they’re fulfilling the order,” Kushneruk said.

Newsom says the state should pause financial transactions with Russian entities and not send them technology.

He is also requesting companies in California to do the same thing.

Kushneruk says the measures taken locally will help put pressure on Russia’s economy.

“It’s important to make this situation for Russian businesses such that inside the country they will push the situation,” Kushneruk said. “And eventually overthrow Putin because he is the one that’s guilty in what is happening.”

Kushnernuk says these measures are the first step in getting the state involved in the fight against Russia.