“The outbreak of war was the last straw that broke the camel’s back,” says Ketting in BNR De Wereld. He says at that time it was still a voluntary choice to leave, later that year that would change with having to leave Russia. Why Ketting didn’t leave earlier, for example after the annexation of Crimea by the Russians or MH17, he calls a question of conscience which he finds difficult to answer. ‘At that time it was still business as usual. Europe was still getting gas and oil from Russia, the companies weren’t withdrawing, it was a very unclear situation.’
organized
Eventually it took ten months before Ketting and his wife were actually in the Netherlands. This was partly due to commercial obligations. “We had to organize a lot because of our three companies and our customers’ seven companies.” He explains that leaving a business in Russia is very difficult. It is a bureaucratic country. Since September we have been harassed by the tax authorities and customs». His wife and business partner are still engaged in this. “He will return to Moscow on January 15 to deal with it. In the summer we are completely free from Russia,’ he thinks.
Lost
By leaving Russia and abandoning his business, Ketting loses a lot. ‘Businesses have performed beautifully, and our customers’ businesses have also performed like never before. But the future of that is gone now.’ He also refers to the loss of property, friends and the life he built in Russia over 28 years. “My existence was based on being in Russia.” Also, he and his wife lose their income. ‘I have lived through several crises in Russia and learned to save a nest egg for thirst.’ He thinks this will get him through a year. ‘But we have to work hard to create something new.’
Rescue action
Ketting has recently launched her own aid campaign after she failed to sell her boat and donate the proceeds to Ukraine. “My wife was busy liquidating the business and I was helping Ukraine.” You have brought humanitarian aid to Ukraine for a total of over 5 million euros. “That’s 51 trucks with things like medicines, medical equipment and sanitary towels.”
And that’s just one aspect of what it does. In June, they started supporting small family businesses founded by women in Ukraine, created a generator rental organization on a socio-humanitarian basis, helped retrain veterans to perform simple IT jobs for companies in Western Europe and have helped small farmers without access to the European Union market to get a fair price for their produce and to be able to sell their products.