Dutch supermarket Spar is still active in Russia despite EU sanctions, Dutch cabinet responds

Despite more than four years of war in Ukraine and a long series of EU sanctions packages against Russia, Dutch supermarket brand Spar continues to expand through licensed stores in the country. Why is that still legally possible? And is The Hague prepared to ban Dutch companies from operating in Russia altogether? New parliamentary answers from the Dutch government reveal the limits of sanctions policy and the difficult balance between economic pressure, legal reality and concerns about global food security.