Putin: Services Like Microsoft and Zoom Should Be "Suffocated"

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that services such as Microsoft and Zoom should be "suffocated."

Putin met with representatives of companies from various sectors in the capital, Moscow, and shared his evaluations regarding the economy.
Pointing out that the Russian economy has risen to fourth place in the world in terms of purchasing power parity, Putin said, “The Russian economy is growing at an impressive pace — 4.1% in 2023 and 4.3% last year — under difficult conditions. This is a good indicator.”

He stated that this growth is not limited to a few sectors but is spread across various fields such as industry, agriculture, digital technologies, services, and finance.

Putin explained that the Russian business world has faced challenges in recent years in areas like international payments, logistics, and supply chains.
“While many Western companies withdrew from the Russian market due to political pressure, some also left their Russian partners in difficult situations,” he said.

Putin also pointed out that while American companies continue to supply medical equipment and services to Russia, European companies do not.

Emphasizing that all “loopholes” enabling the use of imported products instead of domestic production should be closed, Putin said, “Otherwise, we will be left with no domestic products.”

Possible Return of McDonald’s to Russia
Responding to a businessperson’s comment during the meeting that services like Microsoft and Zoom continue to make profits in Russia, Putin said, “They need to be suffocated. I completely agree. I say it without hesitation because they are trying to suffocate us, and we must respond.”

Putin stressed that Russian users should also rid themselves of Western services that involve “bad habits.”

Speaking about McDonald’s, which left the Russian market after the war in Ukraine began, Putin said, “They put everyone in a difficult position, left, and now if they want to come back, we will not pave the way for them.”