B4Ukraine calls on all Western businesses to stay out of Russia until Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are restored, reparations paid, and accountability imposed for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Any company still operating in Russia or choosing to return is complicit in enabling an illegal war and occupation. There is no ethical way to operate in a country waging a genocidal war against its neighbor.
Currently, over 2,000 foreign companies still choose to do business with Russia, contributing to its illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, while only 475 firms have completed an exit through sale or liquidation. In 2023, multinational corporations made over $196.9 billion in revenues through their Russian subsidiaries, with $16.8 billion recorded as profit.
Foreign multinationals paid at least $41.6 billion in taxes to Russia in 2022–2023, with an estimated additional $20 billion expected in 2024. The taxes paid over three years of all-out war amount to nearly half of Russia’s estimated 2025 military budget, underscoring the significant financial contribution foreign firms continue to make to Russia’s militarized economy.
Companies rushing back to Russia are playing a reckless game of Russian roulette. No matter what deal the Trump administration strikes with the Kremlin, Russia remains a lawless, high-risk market where foreign businesses are at the mercy of an unpredictable regime.
A stable peace is an illusion at this stage. Russia consistently violates its agreements and will only stop when forced to — either through military defeat or economic collapse. Any ceasefire under current conditions would merely serve as a tactical pause for Russia to rebuild its forces, making it a short-lived and deceptive reprieve rather than a genuine step toward lasting peace.
The Russian government has a long history of seizing assets, weaponizing regulations, and using businesses as pawns in its geopolitical games. Any company that returns is gambling with its investments, exposing itself to sudden expropriation and the whims of an authoritarian state that views Western firms as expendable—and risks becoming complicit in financing and sustaining Russia’s war.
Beyond financial risk, the reputational damage could be catastrophic. Companies that once took a stand by leaving will be seen as hypocrites, prioritizing profit over principle.
The message is clear: doing business in Russia isn’t just risky—it’s a moral and strategic failure.