or mcdonald's is selling its business in
russia in response to the war in ukraine
burger chain said it wasn't consistent
with its values to continue operating
there mcdonald's temporarily closed all
its russian outlets in march the bbc's
russian editor steve rosenberg says it's
very much the end of an era
well mcdonald's had temporarily shut its
restaurants across russia back in march
that's when a lot of international
companies and global brands had
suspended their operations the fact that
mcdonald's has now come out and said
look that's it we're selling up we're
pulling out um i think that is
recognition of the reality really that
things are not going to return to normal
here that what the kremlin calls its
special military operation what most of
the world calls russia's war has changed
things long term so mcdonald's issued a
statement in which it said that owning a
business in russia was no longer tenable
or consistent with mcdonald's values now
this really is the end of an era i
remember when the first mcdonald's
restaurant opened in russia way back in
1990 back in the ussr there was such
excitement such huge crowds i had a cue
for three hours to get in and i remember
that day american burgers and fries and
pies they really were a symbol that day
of moscow embracing the west you know
fast hot food to help end the cold war
but fast forward 32 years things have
changed and basically russia and the
west have lost their appetite for one
another because russia's offensive in
ukraine has sparked international
condemnation and sanctions and the
kremlin accuses the west
of threatening russia