SAP and Oracle express solidarity with Ukraine against Russia

SAP and Oracle have each strongly expressed solidarity with Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the nation.

Both had been responding to a request for support from Mykhhailo Fedorov, vice-prime minister of Ukraine and minister of digital transformation.

Christian Klein, chief government officer at SAP, has issued an announcement that conveys sturdy assist for Ukraine within the second full week of the assault by the army forces of the Russian Federation.

Klein stated: “Like the rest of the world, we are watching the war in Ukraine with horror and condemn the invasion in the strongest possible terms. An act as inhumane and unjustified as this is an attack on democracy and humanity. Its consequences affect us all.”

He went on to declare the German enterprise software program firm’s assist for sanctions and introduced the cessation of enterprise actions in Russia.

“Economic sanctions against Russia are an important mechanism in the efforts to restore peace,” stated Klein. “We are in constant exchange with governments around the world, have every confidence in their guidance, and fully support the actions taken so far. We are stopping business in Russia aligned with sanctions and, in addition, pausing all sales of SAP services and products in Russia.”

Such companies and merchandise play a big function within the Russian financial system, which has outsized strengths in oil and gasoline. According to the World Bank, its oil and gasoline revenues had been up by 60% within the first 9 months of 2021. And its banking sector, in line with the identical supply, proved resilient by means of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a 2018 Reuters analysis of SAP’s business efficiency within the Russian Federation, the nation represented 2% of the corporate’s income at the moment.

However, SAP was the “clear leader in the Russian business-planning software market, supplying 53 of the top 100 Russian companies by revenue”. And whereas, on the Reuters evaluation, rivals Oracle, Microsoft and Google had been shedding enterprise software program market share, SAP noticed income at the moment rise by “about a third to €468m”.

The Reuters journalists highlighted how SAP’s merchandise had been entrenched in operating the largest state corporations in industries together with vitality, metals, transport and retail. “The German firm has invested heavily in the market, even sponsoring top-tier Saint Petersburg football club Zenit,” they added.

SAP has allotted €1m initially in humanitarian assist for the individuals of Ukraine and stated it was working with nationwide Red Cross organisations, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and different organisations to supply expertise to assist their efforts.

Although a world firm, SAP is headquartered in Walldorf, Germany, a nation that has pivoted in its strategic orientation with respect to Russia previously week. Western defence and safety commentators have famous this shift, which has seen Germany, for the primary time for the reason that finish of the Second World War, agree to the movement of lethal weapons to a conflict zone.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz introduced a normal and dramatic shift in defence, safety and overseas coverage within the Bundestag on 1 March. Germany will now grow to be the biggest defence spender in Europe by growing its expenditure to 2% of GDP.

Klein’s assertion continued: “We have also offered to convert our office space at locations across Europe into warehousing and accommodation for refugees.”

With respect to SAP workers, he stated: “The safety and protection of our colleagues in the region is of the utmost importance. For those colleagues who chose to leave Ukraine, we are providing financial and logistical support to try to make this incredibly difficult step as easy as possible.”

The assertion concluded: “The SAP family stands with everyone affected and horrified by the events in Ukraine. There are no winners in war, and we join others in calling for the restoration of peace.”

Oracle made the same, temporary assertion on Twitter, saying: “On behalf of Oracle’s 150,000 employees around the world and in support of both the elected government of Ukraine and for the people of Ukraine, Oracle Corporation has already suspended all operations in the Russian Federation.”

According to Reuters, Oracle was not responding to requests to elaborate on the tweet.