# Ukraine Labels Mondelez International an “International Sponsor of War”
Key Highlights :
Mondelez International, one of the world’s biggest snack companies, has been labeled an enemy of Ukraine due to its reluctance to exit Russia, Ukrainian media reported on Thursday. The Ukrainian National Corruption Prevention Agency (NCPA) has designated the producer of Milka and Alpen Gold chocolate, Oreo and Barni biscuits, Picnic bars and Dirol chewing gum an “international sponsor of war” in an effort to “put pressure on those involved in the war.”
Headquartered in Chicago, Mondelez is among the largest foreign companies still operating in Russia. The US company is the Russian market leader in chocolate, sweets, and biscuits and is also ranked second in the chewing gum and lollipops categories. In March 2022, Mondelez CEO Dirk Van De Put declared the company would be “scaling back all non-essential activities in Russia while helping maintain continuity of the food supply during the challenging times ahead.”
In 2022 alone, the firm’s Russian subsidiary paid more than $61 million in taxes to the Russian budget, according to the NCPA. Mondelez has three large production facilities in the country employing some 3,200 people. The Ukrainian agency claimed that the “company continues to promote its products in Russia and import new products to this market” and by doing so is indirectly involved in financing the conflict.
The Oreo manufacturer has been branded an enemy of Ukraine along with Raiffeisen Bank International, Auchan, Metro, Procter & Gamble, Bonduelle, Leroy Merlin, Xiaomi and many other international companies. The NCPA has warned that companies that continue to operate in Russia will be added to the list of “sponsors of war” and will face sanctions from Ukraine.
The agency has urged international companies to reconsider their operations in Russia, as any involvement in the conflict is “contrary to the principles of international law,” and “directly or indirectly supports the aggressor country.”
The NCPA has also called on the international community to pressure companies to end their operations in Russia. The agency believes that if companies are held accountable for their actions in Russia, it will help bring an end to the conflict in the region.
The designation of Mondelez International as an “international sponsor of war” is the latest move by the Ukrainian government to put pressure on companies that are still doing business in Russia. The move is likely to have an impact on the company’s operations in the region, as it may face sanctions or other restrictions in the future.
It remains to be seen how the international community will respond to the move, as well as how Mondelez International will respond. For now, the company is continuing to operate in Russia and is unlikely to exit the market anytime soon.
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