Ukrainian Foreign Minister: Kyiv to take actions against German companies working in Crimea
Ukrainian authorities are considering measures against German companies operating in the Crimea despite the EU sanctions, as stated by the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Pavlo Klimkin, in an interview with the German newspaper, Rheinische Post.
"Any attempt to bypass sanctions against Russia, introduced as a result of the annexation of the Crimea, must be punished by law ... We have a wide range of legal mechanisms that we can use. We are in the process of finding a balanced solution," the Minister explained.
Klimkin did not mention details, referring to confidentiality. According to him, Kyiv, in turn, is set for a "continued presence" of companies from Germany in Ukraine. "The interest of German companies to Ukraine is growing," the Minister said.
In January, after a meeting with his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, Klimkin said that Volkswagen and Adidas "allow their retailers to consider Crimea as part of Russia." The Foreign Minister promised to seek "not only political, but also legal methods" against these companies as a result. In response, Volkswagen and Adidas noted that they adhere to the sanctions regime against the Crimea.
"Divisions of the Volkswagen Group adhere to sanctions and comply with the adopted regulations. Accusations to the contrary surprise us," representatives of Volkswagen answered. In addition, according to Ukrainian authorities, DHL and Puma are also operating on the peninsula.