Tim Cook sent an email to officials this morning addressing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, explaining Apple’s response to the past two weeks. The email also tells employees that Apple will compare the donations they make to certain humanitarian funds, two to one, and will do so retroactively for donations made on February 25.
A copy of this email was received from On the edgeand you can read it in full below (except for Apple’s edited internal email address):
I wanted to take a moment to deal with the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
I know that I am speaking on behalf of everyone at Apple, expressing our concern for all those affected by the violence. With each new image of families fleeing their homes and courageous citizens fighting for their lives, we see how important it is for people around the world to unite to continue the cause of peace.
Apple is donating humanitarian aid and providing assistance for the unfolding refugee crisis. We also work with partners to decide what else we can do. I know that many of you are also eager to find ways to support, and we want to help increase the impact of your donations. As of today, Apple will match your 2: 1 donations to eligible organizations, and we will do so retroactively for donations to these organizations on February 25th. Please visit the Employment Portal to learn more.
We work to support our teams in Ukraine and throughout the region. In Ukraine, we keep in touch with every employee, helping them and their families in every way possible. For members of our Ukrainian team outside the country who may need support, please contact [email redacted]. And for any employee who needs support, please visit the People website for available resources.
As a company, we are taking additional action. We have paused all product sales in Russia. Last week we stopped all exports in our sales channel in the country. Apple Pay and other services are limited. RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the App Store outside of Russia. And we have deactivated both traffic and live incidents on Apple Maps in Ukraine as a safety measure and precautionary measure for Ukrainian citizens.
We will continue to assess the situation and keep in touch with the relevant governments on the actions we are taking.
This moment calls for unity, calls for courage and reminds us that we must never lose sight of the humanity we all share. In these difficult times, I take comfort in knowing that we are united in our commitment to each other, to our consumers, and to be a force for good in the world.
As Cook emphasized in his email (and as Apple mentioned in public statements), Apple has taken various actions in the region. On Tuesday, he announced he was suspending sales of his products in Russia. In addition, the sharing of Apple Maps data in Ukraine and the use of Apple Pay in Russia is limited.
Cook also mentioned that Apple is in contact with “every employee” based in Ukraine and working to help them and their families. Internally, some officials discussed the removal of their families from Ukraine.