French automaker Renault decided to temporarily halt production at its Moscow plant, breaking ranks with other major French companies that have defied pressure to remain operating in Russia.
By Voice of America
The company’s board of directors voted late Wednesday to suspend activities at the Renault plant in Moscow. The decision came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave an emotional video speech to parliament calling on French companies to stop indirectly supporting the war against Ukraine through their presence in Russia.
Dozens of multinational companies have scaled back operations in Russia, amid sanctions imposed by the United States and its Western allies aimed at crippling Russia’s economy.
But several French companies refuse to leave, underscoring how often it is a matter of pride for France — and its companies — to be more independent from the United States and Britain when it comes to policy towards Moscow. This is an attitude that begins to unravel as the war progresses.
Home improvement giant Leroy Merlin, supermarket chain Auchan and sporting goods retailer Decathlon are some of the top brands refusing to stop doing business in Russia. French energy company TotalEnergies announced a few days ago that it would stop buying Russian oil, but warned that a hasty withdrawal would only enrich its Russian partners.
Renault said it would not withdraw immediately, but would only “assess the available options, taking into account the current environment, while acting responsibly towards its 45,000 employees in Russia.”
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