Liverpool City Region Mayor has condemned Vladimir Putin's 'murderous' invasion of Ukraine - and issued a warning to any businesses operating in the region with links to the Russian state.
Mayor Rotheram says he expects companies in the Liverpool City Region to have a social conscience - and confirmed he requested the Merseyside Pension Fund look at freezing its Russian holdings earlier this month.
The city region leader also said he was glad to hear that e-scooter operator Voi has ceased its operations in Russia and said he will be 'watching closely' after reports emerged linking the firm to a Russian figure who has been sanctioned by the European Union. Swedish company Voi, which has been running a successful e-scooter trial in Liverpool for the past couple of years, says it is 're-evaluating' its partners in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
READ MORE: P&O Ferries suddenly suspends all sailings ahead of 'major announcement' with Liverpool affected
Swedish newspaper, Di claimed Russian businessman Alexei Eliseev, who owns shares in Voi, has alleged business connections with Alexei Mordashov, who was sanctioned by the EU. Mr Eliseev, who has not been sanctioned, is also a major shareholder and chairman of shipping firm Globaltruck, which is partly owned by the Russian state, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Voi says it does not entertain any ties with Russia and has ceased all business operations with the country, including removing elements of its Russian supply chain and banning the sale of its vehicles. The company reiterated that Mr Eliseev has never been sanctioned and said it will always abide by any laws or sanctions that are in place.
The Merseyside Pension Fund has around £19 million invested in Russian companies and bonds. Thousands of workers in the region have cash invested in the fund. Fund bosses are trying to work out how to deal with the situation.
Speaking to the ECHO, Mayor Rotheram gave his views on the ongoing invasion and warned city region firms about their interests. He said: “We have all been horrified by the images broadcast around the world of Putin’s murderous invasion of Ukraine. It is right that our government and the wider global community are working to sanction those oligarchs and anyone with close ties to the regime. We believe that any sanctions against Putin's allies and accomplices should be as stringent as possible.
“In our region, we’re pioneers of ethical, value-driven business. We like the companies that we work with to have a social conscience. Earlier this month, I requested that the Merseyside Pension Fund should look to freeze and divest any Russian holdings, and we expect businesses to look to do the same. With that in mind, I am glad to hear that Voi are ceasing their operations within Russia, but we will be watching closely and stand ready to take action should the situation change."
In a statement released to the ECHO, a Voi spokesperson said: "In order to ensure consistency with our aims and values as a company, Voi conducts background checks on all our investors before agreeing terms with them.
"We are currently revaluating the relationships we have with all partners in light of the recent developments in Ukraine and will take any and all actions deemed necessary to comply with any sanctions. This includes the removal of shareholders should they no longer align with our core values. We will always abide by any laws or sanctions that are in place.
"Alongside many international businesses, we believe Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a gross violation of international law and we stand on the side of democracy and the Ukrainian people at this time. We have also stopped reselling refurbished vehicles in Russia and are selling our minority stake in a Russian micromobility company."
"We are donating to the relief effort through UNHCR and supporting our Ukrainian employees, including offering positions where available to people fleeing the country."
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, Cllr Daniel Barrington said: “Voi has assured us that they are taking all necessary steps to comply with current sanctions and that they are in the process of re-evaluating their partnerships.
"We are closely monitoring this situation and will not hesitate to take further action should it be needed. We stand in unity with the Ukrainian people and as a city we are prepared to do all we can to help those seeking sanctuary in the UK.”
