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Following in the footsteps of fellow automakers Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, and more, Ford announced tonight that it will be suspending operations in Russia.
Ford CEO Jim Farley broke the news in a tweet, citing deep concerns about the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops on February 24, and offering an act of support for the Ukrainian people. Farley’s tweet included a longer press release, indicating that the Ford Fund will donate $100,000 to the Global Giving Ukraine Relief Fund at an unspecified date and time.
The donation is in an effort to provide humanitarian assistance and relief to displaced Ukrainian citizens and families affected by last week’s dramatic events. Full tweet and press release to follow.
While Ford’s actions and donations are symbolically important to the cause of the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian citizens employed by automakers, the business-side consequences of these actions are minimal.
Over the past decade, the joint venture between Ford and Russian firm Sollers has seen various productions come and go. A project that started by bringing production of the Focus and Mondeo lines to Russian soil, in recent years has slowed down. In 2019 Ford announced a JV restructuring that would end passenger vehicle production.
That GlobalGiving Ukraine Relief Fund has raised approximately $3.1 million in donations as of this writing. The Ford Fund and GlobalGiving have partnered on other charitable projects in previous years.
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