When the war in Ukraine broke out, a lot of big brands ceased operating in Russia, following the country launching an assault on its neighbour for nothing more than the gain of territory. Mondelez, the company that owns Cadbury's chocolate, continued to operate in Russia, but did cease new investment in Russian business and suspending spending on advertising.
Mondelez chief executive Dirk Van de Put told the BBC that the company has tried to remain neutral in the conflict. "I think over time you try to be neutral in the whole conflict. We're not trying to take any side. I think we did the right thing for our people in Russia. Can we be criticised for that? Yeah, of course. We pay taxes in Russia that helps the war. I'm not pleased about that," he said.
In 2025, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine sent a letter to Van de Put asking Mondelez to cease operations and sever business ties with Russia. Alex Sobel, chair of the group, said: "Continuing to operate in a nation responsible for the deaths of countless Ukrainian civilians and the abduction of thousands of children cannot be justified under any definition of 'business as usual.'"
Van de Put defended the decision to keep operations going, though, saying that if they pulled out, their plant would have been confiscated. "It would have probably given them a much bigger source of income, keep on selling our products to fund the war," Van de Put argued.
