Kremlin: Nestle Asset Transfer Considered ‘Unfriendly States’ Involved

The Kremlin has said that the transfer of Nestle's assets in Russia took into account the involvement of what it calls "unfriendly countries," according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks in comments reported by TASS, stating that these are unfriendly countries that are "actively involved in military operations against Russia."

Peskov's statement links the handling of the Swiss food giant's assets to the broader geopolitical categorization Russia has applied to numerous Western nations following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow has designated a list of countries as "unfriendly" in response to sanctions imposed over the war.

TASS did not provide further details in the excerpt regarding the specific nature of the asset transfer, the companies or individuals involved, or the timeline of the transaction. Nestle has not been quoted in the report as responding to Peskov's remarks.

Russia has previously taken steps affecting the assets of Western companies operating in the country, often citing the actions of governments it labels unfriendly. Nestle, headquartered in Switzerland, has maintained a presence in the Russian market, though many multinational firms have scaled back or restructured their operations there since 2022.

Further details on the scope and terms of the Nestle asset transfer were not immediately available.