Mayor Johnson speaks with mayor of Irpin, Milwaukee's sister city in Ukraine

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee's acting mayor spoke virtually Friday, March 4, with the mayor of Irpin, Ukraine. That's Milwaukee's sister city.

"He had just come in from the front lines, he was wearing a flak jacket himself," said Johnson.

Johnson expressed Milwaukee's thoughts for the people of Irpin, and Mayor Alexander Markushin spoke of the situation in his city, the threat from a 40-mile Russian convoy and how Ukrainian forces blew up a bridge to try and stop the Russians' advance.

CBS 58 asked if Milwaukee could be a place where refugees from Ukraine might settle.

"Being that we have the relationship that we do with Irpin, with Ukraine, I would hope that the answer would be yes there," said Johnson. "You know, when there were issues with Afghanistan, I think I was probably the first elected official, one of the first at least in Wisconsin, to say hey, we want you guys here. And Milwaukee certainly would be a welcoming place for them."

Johnson says Mayor Markushin told him his people were united in standing against Russia's aggression.