Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday criticized companies, including Nestle, for continuing business as usual with Russia “even though our children are dying”, in a speech to a demonstration in Switzerland.
Zelensky urged Swiss companies to stop doing business in Russia and asked Swiss banks to freeze the accounts of the Kremlin elite.
Addressing a demonstration in front of the Swiss Parliament in Berne, Dan Zelenskiy addresses companies that continue to operate despite the siege of the city of Mariupol.
Thousands of demonstrators who gathered in the square in front of the Federal Palace listened to Zelensky’s nine-minute speech, which was translated into German, despite technical problems that caused the video to be cut off from Kyiv.
Zelensky criticized Swiss companies that continue to operate in Russia, referring specifically to the giant food company Nestle.
He pointed out that the company’s slogan is “Good Food, Good Life”.
“Business is working in Russia even if our children are dying and our cities are being destroyed,” he said, while people in Mariupol are “without food, water, or electricity, and under bombardment.”
He added that it was “painful” that those behind the dispute had money deposited in Switzerland.
“The money of the people who unleashed this war is in your banks. Help fight this, so that their money is frozen,” he said, urging them to join the “fight against evil.”
Zelensky called for them to be stripped of their property and privileges, to the cheers of the crowd.
The number of wealthy Russians residing in Switzerland has increased in recent years.
Swiss President Ignacio Cassis joined Ukrainian protesters and diplomats at a podium under a banner reading “Solidarity with Ukraine. Stop the war now.”
“I am deeply moved, dear Volodymyr, by your determination to resist, your determination to move forward, your determination and the determination of your people to overcome this terrible crisis,” Cassis told Zelensky.
Cassis expressed hope that the defenders would soon fall silent, and said Switzerland was ready to mediate or host negotiations.
He confirmed that he would inspect the Polish border with Ukraine on Monday.
In an article published earlier Saturday, Cassis had said that Russia’s war on Ukraine was being driven by “destructive madness” and that Switzerland was willing to pay the price for defending freedom and democracy and complying with European Union sanctions against Russia.
“What is happening in Ukraine is an attack not only on Ukraine and on the Ukrainian people, it is an attack on all of us,” Ukraine’s ambassador to Geneva, Yevinia Filipenko, told the crowd in Bern.
“We must work together to stop these atrocities and not be repeated,” she added.
She thanked Switzerland for “helping Ukraine and the Ukrainians,” adding, “Together we will win.”