McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are assessing risks associated with operating in Russia and have no immediate intentions of re-entering the market, according to a report from Bloomberg, which references the companies’ statements to the B4Ukraine Coalition advocacy group.
The B4Ukraine Coalition initiated its inquiry after Russian media reports and social media speculation indicated that some Western brands that exited Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine were considering a return, especially in light of a perceived easing of U.S.-Russia diplomatic tensions during President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a letter from John Banner, McDonald’s global chief impact officer, the fast-food chain emphasized that it remains committed to the framework of five questions that guided its decision to withdraw from Russia in 2022. “The principles behind these questions that informed our choice to end operations in a major market and divest our McDonald’s restaurants remain relevant today,” stated Banner.
Coca-Cola, in its correspondence, pointed out that “existing sanctions and various legal obstacles are still in effect, which affects any discussions about re-entering the Russian market.”
The B4Ukraine Coalition also reached out to Apple, Nike, Boeing, Visa, and Mastercard for clarification, but these companies have not provided any responses.
In an email shared by Bloomberg, Mastercard clarified that “there has been no change in our status in the country at this time.”
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for U.S.-Russia negotiations, claimed in February that some American firms might restart operations in Russia by mid-year. Following this announcement, Putin directed the Russian government to create a system to assist foreign businesses in returning. The Financial Times reported that Russian officials have begun directly contacting representatives of U.S. companies to encourage their re-entry into the market.
Recently, both McDonald’s and Coca-Cola submitted trademark applications to Rospatent, the Russian intellectual property office, an action interpreted by multiple Russian media outlets as a sign of their potential return to the country. However, legal experts caution that such trademark registrations are often aimed at safeguarding brand rights and do not necessarily reflect intentions to resume business operations.
