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To leave, or to stay? This is the dilemma of large French groups, very established in Russia. They are under strong pressure, especially from the Ukrainians who accuse them of financing those who bomb them.
TotalEnergies, Société Générale, Renault or even Leroy Merlin, established in Russia, will they leave the country? Under pressure since the start of the war, TotalEnergies is questioning its presence in Russia. On the evening of Tuesday March 22, the group announced that it had decided “to stop all purchases of Russian petroleum or petroleum products”by the end of 2022 at the latest. Large retailers are also concerned.
After the strike that hit one of its stores in kyiv (Ukraine) on the evening of Sunday March 20, Leroy Merlin is in difficulty. On social networks, a petition launched by Ukrainian employees asks the brand to cease its activities in Russia. Contacted, the management refuses to speak. Like the DIY specialist, other companies, such as Decathlon, Auchan, Danone or Bonduelle are established in Russia. They employ a total of 160,000 people. “When you have employees in Russia, you are responsible for your employees, you can go out of business overnight”explains Elie Cohen, economist.