The Board of Directors of Renault group he met today and decreed that “the activities of the Renault plant in Moscow are suspended from today. The Group is evaluating possible options on its participation in Avtovaz, acting responsibly towards the 45,000 employees in Russia ”. Renault’s decision comes after the words of Volodymyr Zelensky against several French groups, including the car manufacturer, accused of sponsoring the war in Ukraine. “The French companies – said the leader of Kiev in his speech on video connection to the Paris Parliament – they have to leave the Russian market. Renault, Auchan, Leroy Merlin and others must stop sponsoring Russia’s war machine ”. And again: “They must stop financing the murder of women and children, of financing the rape. Everyone will remember that values matter more than profits ”.
Renault – one of the symbolic brands of France, of which the State is the main shareholder – yesterday confirmed the reopening of its Moscow plant where production is regularly resumed. The company suspended production at the plant last month, explaining the decision to i logistic problems arose after the invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin’s troops. After all, Russia is the car group’s second largest market after Europe. The manufacturer is present on site in particular with the branch AvtoVAZwhich suspended part of its production in mid-March due to a shortage of components for Western sanctions against Moscow.
Leroy Merlin is also very present in Russia, its second market after France, with 36,000 employees in 107 hypermarkets e 62 cities. Employees of the famous DIY chain in Ukraine last Monday asked the French brand to cease operations in Russia after the bombing of one of their stores in Kiev. Widespread in Russia as well Auchanwith 231 supermarkets for a turnover of 3.2 billion euros, more than 10% of its global business.
In front of the French parliamentarians, Zelensky also referred to the “Verdun ruins” during the First World War to denounce the spiral of deaths and devastation perpetrated by the Russian army in Mariupol. After saying he was “grateful” for the “efforts” put in by Emmanuel Macronthe Ukrainian leader called for greater support from France to stop what he called “a war against Freedom, Equality and Fraternity”, in reference to the founding values of Republic which, Zelensky observed to the applause of the classroom, “made Europe united”.
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