McDonald's to leave Russia after more than three decades over Ukraine conflict

The association between Russia and McDonald’s has been an old one. The company opened their first store in Russia in 1990 when they opened their market to Western brands signaling a symbolic end to the Cold War. However, the fast-food giants will be leaving the country permanently as they are looking to sell all of their 850 outlets to local buyers. The company said that the decision was taken keeping in mind the "humanitarian crisis" and "unpredictable operating environment" in Ukraine.

McDonald’s faced a lot of criticism for not closing their shops in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, but they temporarily stopped their operation in March. Currently, they are looking for local buyers and the existing shops do not have any McDonald's name or branding on them.

Also read | Russia's warning on NATO Nordic expansion: 'Won't simply put up with...'

Although the stores are being sold, McDonald’s intends to take care of their 62,000 employers and they are trying to contact a Russian buyer to employ them till the end of the sale.

“We have a commitment to our global community and must remain steadfast in our values,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement according to a report on Associated Press, “and our commitment to our values means that we can no longer keep the arches shining there.”

Also read | Israeli man attacked by a mob with pepper spray in Palestinian town

On the other hand, the company has been paying full salaries to their employees in Ukraine since the start of the crisis. They have criticised the invasion multiple times in public and the move of pulling out of Russia will serve as both a goodwill gesture and a solid boost to their reputation.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE -