Virgin's Branson urges business leaders to unite to stop war in Ukraine

Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson arrives on a Boeing 787-9 for an event announcing Virgin Atlantic's new non-stop daily Seattle to London flights
Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson arrives on a Boeing 787-9 for an event announcing Virgin Atlantic's new non-stop daily Seattle to London flights Copyright GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
By Katy DartfordEuronews
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Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson has urged business leaders to unite on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson argued that business leaders should speak out and help to stop funding Russia's invasion of Ukraine in an interview with Euronews.

"Now is not the time for neutrality. Russia's invasion is unprovoked. It's unacceptable... business leaders should start to speak out."

Branson said that businesses could cut back on their "least profitable operations" and individuals can make small changes.

If governments introduce speed limits and people cut electricity use, "we could take nearly three million barrels a day of oil out of the market".

Branson said that this would not only compensate for "the oil money that's going to Russia...but it would also collapse the price of oil for everybody, so it would bring down inflation".

"Now is not the time for neutrality. Russia's invasion is unprovoked. It's unacceptable... business leaders should start to speak out."
Sir Richard Branson

When the war in Ukraine eventually ends, Branson says he is "absolutely certain that business leaders throughout the world will want to help Ukraine get back on its feet."

"It's going to need a Marshall Plan in the same way that Europe had a Marshall Plan after the Second World War."

But in the meantime, he says "what's critical is that we stop yet another Ukrainian city being completely flattened by missiles from Russia".

"And the only way we're going to do that is to make sure that we stop supplying Russia with billions and billions of euros and give the Ukrainians the equipment that they need to fight the war."

Watch the full interview in the video player above.

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