Like many other international companies, the Messe Düsseldorf Group reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On Tuesday evening, the exhibition company announced that it would end its activities in Russia for the time being.
“As a consequence of the disturbing events in Ukraine, the supervisory board of Messe Düsseldorf has decided to suspend the business activities of the group of companies in Russia until further notice,” says a report. The decision “also includes the activities of the subsidiary Messe Düsseldorf Moscow”.
“The current events are in contradiction to our company’s mission and values of creating international marketplaces for a free, cross-border, intercultural and economic exchange,” emphasized Wolfram Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf.
Düsseldorf Mayor Stephan Keller, who chairs the supervisory board of the trade fair company, explained the step: “The whole of Düsseldorf is thinking of the people of Ukraine,” explained the CDU politician. “After we have already put the city twinning between Moscow and Düsseldorf on hold, it is only logical that Messe Düsseldorf, as a city subsidiary, is also ceasing its activities in Russia for the time being.”