MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2022) French companies should decide for themselves whether they want to continue working in Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
"There is pressure, reputational risk for (French) companies that operate in Russia. And here my position is to leave the choice to the companies themselves," Macron said during a press conference in Brussels.
However, Macron noted that the EU will continue pressuring Russia in order to increase its economic isolation in an attempt to ensure a ceasefire in Ukraine.
"Russia's economic isolation is growing. And our pressure will increase so that we can achieve a ceasefire and peace (in Ukraine) by any means," Macron added.
On Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking to the French Parliament by video, called on French companies to leave Russia and thus stop sponsoring the military operation in Ukraine. French companies, including Auchan and Danone, will continue working in Russia, as the French government has not recommended that they leave the country, Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, the head of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), said on March 15.
At the same time, French carmaker Renault decided to suspend all operations in Russia on Wednesday.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting numerous Russian officials and entities, media, and financial institutions. Some foreign companies have decided to leave Russia altogether.
