Stressing that as part of the global community, Ford is deeply concerned about the invasion of Ukraine and the resultant threats to peace and stability, the company announced Tuesday it is suspending its operations in Russia.
The company has informed its three JV partners that it was suspending operations effective immediately and until further notice, adding also that Ford Fund will donate $100,000 to the Global Giving Ukraine Relief Fund that assists Ukrainian refugees.
The statement underlines that although Ford does not have significant operations in Ukraine, a strong contingent of Ukrainian nationals works for Ford around the world.
Ford has significantly wound down its Russian operations in recent years and is now focusing exclusively on commercial van manufacturing and Russian sales via its minority stake of 50% in the Sollers Ford joint venture.
Since the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, Ford Motor Company is the latest major US brand to take action against Russia.
Finding itself under steady pressure from investors and consumers decrying the violence, some of America’s best-known companies including Apple, Google, Harley-Davidson, and Exxon Mobil rebuked and rejected Russia.
Apple Inc stopped sales of iPhones and other products in Russia late on Tuesday, also making changes to its Maps app to protect civilians in Ukraine.
Following in the steps of British energy giants Shell Plc and British Petroleum, which was Russia’s biggest foreign investor, Exxon Mobil Corp announced it would discontinue operations in Russia and is also taking steps to exit the Sakhalin-1 venture.
Meanwhile, the motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc has suspended shipments of its bikes while Alphabet Inc’s Google along with other tech firms has dropped Russian state publishers from their news.
The US planemaker Boeing has previously informed that it has stopped major operations in Moscow, suspending parts, maintenance, and technical support services for Russian airlines, and announced it will also temporarily close its Kyiv office.
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