Vladimir Putin has raged against Western firms operating in Russia, claiming he wants to “throttle” them as he complained “we haven’t kicked anyone out”. The Russian President made the furious remarks as a new raft of UK and Western sanctions were announced this month, and the Kremlin continues to avoid peace talks to end the bloodshed in Ukraine.
During a meeting with business leaders on Monday, Mr Putin said of Western companies, including US tech giants Microsoft and Zoom, that he believed “we need to throttle them. I completely agree, and I say this without hesitation”. He ranted: “We haven’t kicked anyone out…we have provided the most favourable conditions for them to work in our market, and they are trying to throttle us.”
Mr Putin, 72, said that Moscow should “mirror the actions” of the West towards Russian firms and that the Kremlin “must respond in kind”.
The Russian leader’s bombastic remarks come just 24 hours after he was branded “crazy” by US President Donald Trump for continuing to attack Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles.
Mr Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform on Sunday that “something has happened” to Putin in the wake of a deadly Russian attack with 367 drones and missiles that killed 13 people in Ukraine.
He wrote “he has gone absolutely crazy” and is “needlessly killing a lot of people”.
A host of major Western firms have ceased to operate in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, including the iconic fast-food chain McDonald’s. The firm is a notable loss for Russia after its arrival in the 1990s became a symbol of the collapse of communism and the Soviet Union.
The eatery became a firm favourite for Russians who embraced a new capitalist lifestyle, but Mr Putin said: “They (McDonald’s) have put everyone in a difficult position, left, and now, if they want to come back, are we supposed to roll out the red carpet for them? No, of course not.”
Earlier this month, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced Britain was launching a raft of 100 new sanctions against Russian interests.
In a statement, the FCDO said the sanctions were part of a coordinated effort with partners, including the EU, to secure a “just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said Putin had shown “his true colours as a warmonger”.
He added: “We urge him to agree a full, unconditional ceasefire right away so there can be talks on a just and lasting peace.
“We have been clear that delaying peace efforts will only redouble our resolve to help Ukraine to defend itself and use our sanctions to restrict Putin’s war machine.”
