Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who is also Minister of Digital Transformation, has called on major Taiwanese electronics maker ASUS to cease its activities and business relations with Russia as its invasion of Ukraine continues, according to a report. open letter posted on Fedorov’s Twitter on Thursday.
In the letter to ASUS President Jonney Shih, Fedorov called on the company and its subsidiaries to “terminate all relations and cease doing business” in Russia, as well as to cease relations with customers and partners based in Russia, including “providing hardware and electronics”. , providing technical support and services”, until “Russian aggression in Ukraine is completely stopped and a just order is restored”.
“The IT industry always upholds the values of responsibility and democracy. We think your business shares them too. Now responsibility is the choice, the choice that defines the future. And now, more than ever, people’s lives depend on your choice,” Federov wrote.
“Russian tanks and missiles continue to kill peaceful Ukrainians! @ASUS, Russians have no moral right to use your brilliant technology! This is for peace, not for war!” Fedrov said in a tweet preceding the letter.
It is the first Taiwanese multinational directly approached by senior Ukrainian officials to sever business relations with Russia in connection with the invasion.
A review of Fedorov’s Twitter activity shows that since the invasion of Russia he has publicly called on a series of high profile companies – including Microsoft, Apple, Google, Visa, Mastercard and Netflix – to ban access Russian to their products and services.
CNN has contacted ASUS for comment. According to Taiwan’s state-run Central News Agency, ASUS said earlier on Saturday that it would “not be responding at this time.”
Last Tuesday, senior Taiwanese officials said they would join moves to block some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system, and would “screen” products exported to Russia under the Wassenaar arrangement – which regulates arms and dual-use export controls. goods and technology – and will not allow such exports “unless there are legitimate reasons”.
