Rival Stellantis suspended car imports and exports as part of a broader retreat by companies including Volkswagen, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. Renault’s Japanese partner Nissan halted exports to the country.
Renault has kept longstanding ties with Russia intact because it’s worried about the high cost of pulling out of its AvtoVAZ venture, which owns Lada, Russia’s best-selling car brand.
The carmaker also owns the Avtoframos plant near Moscow. The factory builds the Renault Duster, Kaptur and Arkana models, and the Nissan Terrano.
The French government, Renault’s most powerful shareholder, has been backing the company’s position.
With its AvtoVAZ subsidiary, Renault has about 30 percent of the Russian car market and a staff of roughly 40,000 in the country.
The company continues to monitor the situation, according to a spokesman.
